Absolution
by TiffanyNichelle1
Summary: Sonny&Carly story that takes place around the time Carly found out she was pregnant with Sonny's baby while still married to A.J. Written a LONG time before "Angel" showed up. Complete.
1. Default Chapter

"What did you just say?" Sonny stared at the frantic woman who was loaded  
down with a sleeping redheaded toddler and several packed bags.  
  
Carly pushed a lock of hair out of her face and repeated. "A.J. is trying  
to kill me, I'm pregnant with your child, and I need to get out of the  
country."  
  
Sonny folded his arms and smirked at Carly. "Right. What are you trying to  
pull now, Carly? You really expect me to believe all that? I'm not Jason.  
It's not my job to bail you out every time some cockamamie scheme of yours  
backfires."  
  
"Damn it, Sonny! Just listen to me. I'm not lying here. I *am* pregnant  
with *your* child. A.J. *is* trying to kill me. I wouldn't lie about this."  
  
Sonny shook his head in disbelief. "Why don't you sit down and I'll call  
you a cab to take you back to the Qs."  
  
Sonny started to reach for the phone but Carly slammed her hand down over  
his. "No! I'm not going back there." Her voice trembled but was determined  
at the same time.  
  
Sonny looked into her eyes. She actually looks scared, he thought to  
himself. Could she actually be telling the truth? About it all? He asked  
softly. "*Are* you pregnant?"  
  
"Yes." She admitted.  
  
"With my child?" Sonny's voice rose slightly.  
  
"Yes." She glanced down at the floor.  
  
"When were you going to tell me?" Sonny raged at her. He couldn't believe  
she would do this again. "After it was born? Graduated college? When?"  
  
"I don't know. I wasn't even sure I was going to keep it but…" Carly wrung  
her hands together. "I needed more time."  
  
"Looks like your time ran out." Sonny sneered. "So were you going to pass  
it off as A.J.'s? Jason's?"  
  
"I was going to tell you." Carly swore. Then she groaned and ran her hands  
through her hair. "I can't do this right now. I have to get out of the  
country or A.J. will kill me."  
  
"I wouldn't mind being next in line for that." Sonny glared at her. He had  
to force himself to walk a few feet away. He couldn't be near at the moment  
  
or he'd give into his urge to wrap his hands around her neck and squeeze.  
But he couldn't do that because of the baby.  
  
Carly followed him. "I'm not joking here. A.J. is really trying to kill me.  
  
Actually at first he was just trying to send me back to Ferncliff. I can't  
go back to Ferncliff. Nobody knows what's it like in there. If anyone  
knew…"  
  
"You're babbling." Sonny snapped.  
  
"He would do little things like change my appointments around behind my  
back so that it would look like I was forgetting things. Then he'd make  
appointments for me to meet with Dr. Evans and when his secretary would  
call to confirm I'd have no idea what she was talking about. It was like I  
was slowly losing my mind. Then he hid Michael from me. I would be playing  
with him then one of the maids would come for saying there's a call for me  
or something. I'd run out in the hall to get the phone. When I'd return  
Michael would be gone and I can't find him. I look all over the place,  
asking everyone if they'd seen him and nobody knows. I go back to where  
Michael and I were and there he is playing happily with A.J. who then  
starts blasting me for leaving Michael alone all that time. Only I know  
that he set me up."  
  
"So he's messing with your head." Sonny shrugged. "*That's* not my  
problem."  
  
"It's *your* problem when he ends up killing me. I know what he's planning.  
  
I saw the pills!"  
  
"Pills?" Sonny raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Sleeping pills in *my* name." She said. "Prescribed by Dr. Evans. I called  
  
the pharmacy and they said a blond woman came in to fill the prescription.  
Sonny, he hired someone to play me. He's out of his mind! I think he's  
going to try to get me to overdose or worse. He constantly picks at me,  
messing with my head. You know using those little terms of endearment that  
you love to use for me. But coming from him, it's…it's scary. He gets this  
look in his eye and starts in on how worthless I am. How I should be  
ecstatic that he *allows* me to remain as Michael's mother, that he could  
ship me back to Ferncliff in a minute, that no one would care if he did,  
everyone would be happy. Then he left the pills waiting for me in my room  
like he was waiting for me to do myself in."  
  
"Just yesterday I was standing at the top of the stairs and felt a bump  
from behind. If I hadn't been holding onto the banister I would have fell  
down them. When I looked behind me, no one was there. I didn't say anything  
  
because I knew they would say it was all in my head."  
  
"You really think he's trying to harm you." Sonny asked. She seemed so sure  
  
of it. He narrowed his eyes at her trying to figure out if she was once  
again lying. This time, for once, it looked like she wasn't.  
  
"Me and the baby." She touched her stomach.  
  
"Does he know about the baby?"  
  
Carly shook her head. "No, I don't think so. It's only a couple of months  
along and A.J. and I haven't shared a bed in months. But I think he  
suspects."  
  
"And he probably thinks it's Jason's." Sonny thought aloud.  
  
"Yes. I don't know if that means he'll hurt the baby to hurt Jason or raise  
  
it himself to spite Jason. But I'm not going to let him."  
  
"Even though he thinks you might be pregnant…" Sonny said slowly. "He's  
still trying to kill you and the baby, *my* baby?"  
  
"That's why I have to go. You have to get Michael and me out of here. I  
can't let him keep Michael."  
  
"You stay here. I'll…I'll take care of everything." Sonny said distracted.  
His stomach was churning at the thought of that little punk attempting to  
kill *his* baby. He paced back and forth.  
  
"No! You won't take care of everything. Just get me out of the country."  
Carly pleaded.  
  
"I'm not taking you to Jason." Sonny whirled around.  
  
"Did I ask you to? He ran out on me. He doesn't want to get caught? Fine,  
I'm through with chasing him. Right now, my mind is on getting the hell out  
  
of here."  
  
"What about Bobbie?"  
  
"Bobbie will understand. But I can't stay here waiting for the day that  
A.J. sends me to Ferncliff or kills me."  
  
"Carly, I will fix everything." Sonny said. He wasn't about to let her  
leave the country with his child.  
  
"Fine, get me out and then fix everything." Carly said angrily.  
  
Sonny sighed. Though what he wanted to do was lock her up until the child  
was born he couldn't. The Quartermaines were slick. Before he could arrange  
  
things they would have Carly and Michael back in that house and God only  
knows what would happen to them. Jason wouldn't forgive him if he let  
anything happen. Sonny shoved his hand through his hair.  
  
"Okay, fine, I'll send you and Michael down to the casino." He frowned at  
Carly, who started shaking her head. "What now?"  
  
"I can't go there. Too many people know about it, like your slutty FBI ex.  
She opens her mouth to the wrong people and I'm caught." Carly crossed her  
arms and tapped her foot angrily.  
  
Sonny scowled. He hated to admit it but she was right. Ever since he found  
out about Hannah he was hesitant about going to the casino. "Alright,  
there's another island place that I can send you then."  
  
"What, you have an island monopoly or something?" She ignored his look and  
said. "I'll need some guards."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I'm not going anywhere unless I'm protected. I need guards, Sonny…Can I  
take Johnny with me?"  
  
"Johnny? Are you crazy? I'm letting you have Johnny."  
  
"I trust him and I know him." Carly said firmly. For the first time since  
coming into the penthouse she was finally feeling like herself again. She  
didn't have to look over her shoulder in fear of A.J.  
  
"And he has a crush on you." Sonny smirked. He wasn't blind.  
  
"That means he cares and he won't let anything happen to me."  
  
Sonny threw his hands up in the air. "Fine, you can have Johnny." He  
stalked over to the door. "How's your Spanish?"  
  
"I get by." Carly blinked. "Where are you sending me?"  
  
'What about you?" he asked Johnny.  
  
"Passable." Johnny nodded.  
  
"Good. I need you and three others that you trust to get some stuff  
together for at least a month. I'm sending you down to Isla de Vieques. I  
need you to take care of Carly. *No* one gets near her. Be ready in a  
half-hour." He shut the door, ignoring the wide smile on Johnny's face. He  
was obviously pleased about the prospect of going to some tropical island  
with Carly.  
  
"Where is that?"  
  
" A little island off of Puerto Rico. A.J. won't find you there." He looked  
  
over the bags that Carly had packed for her and Michael. "Do you have  
anything for warm weather?"  
  
"We'll manage."  
  
"You don't want anything from the mansion?"  
  
"No, I'm not going back there." Carly said harshly.  
  
"I can just send someone to the house—"  
  
"No!" Carly shouted, waking up Michael who began to cry. She rushed over  
to where he was sleeping the stroller. "Mommy's sorry, baby. Shush…  
shush…go back to sleep."  
  
Once Michael had calmed down, she looked up at Sonny and said calmly. "If  
you send someone they might get caught and A.J. will figure out where I am.  
  
Actually we shouldn't stay here for too long. He'll figure it out soon  
enough once he realizes Michael's missing…I'm not even supposed to take  
Michael off the grounds."  
  
"What about Leticia? You want me to send for her?"  
  
"No, it just has to be me and Michael. Besides she and Reginald have a  
thing going, I don't want to mess that up because I screwed up my life. So  
can we go soon? I don't care if it's just to sit at the airport staring at  
the ceiling. I can't stay here, A.J. will be here soon."  
  
"Alright, alright. If you want I'll tell Bobbie—"  
  
"Bobbie has a big mouth. She'll just spill it to the first person she sees  
on the street. Tell her *after* it comes out that I'm gone but not before  
and please don't tell her where exactly."  
  
He narrowed his eyes at her. She seemed very sure of herself, telling him  
what to do, when to do it and how. When this was all over…  
  
Carly walked over to him and laid her hand on his shoulder. "Thank you for  
doing this. You didn't have to, you could have thrown me right back at A.J.  
  
but you didn't. You helped me."  
  
The sincerity in her eyes threw him off for a second.  
  
"I didn't help *you*. I helped that child and Michael. They don't need to  
get caught in the middle of this war between you and A.J."  
  
He broke off. He wanted to talk about the baby and what they were going to  
do about it but first he had to get A.J. off her back and out of their  
lives for good. Sonny shook his head. "Come on, let's get you out of here."  
  
~*~*~  
Sonny walked into Kelly's a week later and smiled at Bobbie who was behind  
the counter. She looked very upset and tired. "Something wrong, Bobbie?"  
  
"Carly and Michael are missing." She sighed.  
  
Sonny raised an eyebrow. "Really?"  
  
"Yeah, really." Bobbie was distracted by her thoughts so she didn't notice  
how fake the surprise in his voice sounded. "She's been gone for days but  
Monica just told me *today*. A.J. is pressing charges for kidnapping."  
  
"Hmm."  
  
"I can't believe that she would keep this from me for a week! She's my  
daughter, you would think that someone could have told me." Bobbie  
continued.  
  
"I wouldn't be surprised at all at what else they're keeping from you."  
  
Bobbie narrowed her eyes. She finally caught the tone of his voice. He knew  
  
something. "Sonny…did you have a hand in this?"  
  
"Me?" He widened his eyes in faux innocence.  
  
Bobbie leaned over the counter, unaware that her low-cut shirt was giving  
Sonny a free show. She hissed. "Look, I have no time for games. My daughter  
  
and grandson are missing. Someone could have them or they could just be on  
a trip. I'd feel much knowing that they are okay. So if you know something,  
  
just tell me."  
  
Sonny gently covered her hand with his. He whispered. "Michael and Carly  
are safe. Don't worry about it."  
  
Bobbie gaped at him. "Where are they?"  
  
He shook his head. "I can't tell you. I…I promised Carly. But don't worry.  
I just have to take care of a few things and then they'll be back."  
  
"A few things? What did Carly put you up to this time?"  
  
"There are things going on here Bobbie, that you wouldn't understand."  
  
"Is it about the pregnancy?" At Sonny's shocked look she said softly. "I  
found out when Carly was going to have an abortion."  
  
"An abortion?" Sonny repeated. She was going to abort his child without him  
  
even knowing it? Without him even having a say in the matter? That damn  
Carly.  
  
She hurried to add. "But she stopped it herself. She changed her mind."  
  
Sonny nodded. She stopped. Right, she didn't let it happen. But she almost  
did. He sat down on the stool for a second and buried his face in his hands  
  
and took a deep breath.  
  
"Sonny?"  
  
Don't deal with this now, he told himself. Take care of the munchkin with  
the Napoleon complex and then deal with the idea of yet another of your  
children dying. Shake it off, come on, shake it off.  
  
"Sonny?" Bobbie repeated. Maybe it wasn't a good idea to tell him about the  
  
abortion.  
  
Sonny stood. "Like I said, there are more things going on here, other than  
the baby. When everything is cleared up I'll explain." He started to walk  
out of Kelly's.  
  
"Sonny!" He looked over his shoulder. "If you see here. Please tell her  
that I'm worried but I love her."  
  
He nodded. "Will do."  
  
~*~*~  
Sonny knew that he was being followed. No attempt at hiding had been made  
so he could assume that either the person wanted him to know he was being  
followed or was just really bad at it. Sonny sighed. He didn't have time to  
  
play this game. He wanted to get down to the island to get check on the  
child. And Carly.  
  
Knowing exactly where he was he turned a corner and strolled into a dark  
alley. He said to his guards in a loud voice over his shoulder. "Stop.  
  
The two suited me paused, reached into their coats and looked around, ready  
  
for anything. Seconds later a disheveled A.J. Quartermaine stumbled into  
the alley. In a loud, harsh voice he said, "Where is she? Where are they?"  
  
Obviously Carly had forgotten to mention that A.J. had started drinking  
again. Sonny wondered what took A.J. so long. It'd been at least month  
since he  
shipped Carly off to the island. The Quartermaines must have finally come  
up with  
nothing on their search and so A.J. was turning to him.  
  
Sonny shrugged. "I don't know what you're talking about Quartermaine. Mind  
telling me why you're following me?"  
  
"Don't try to play cutesy with me. I know you know where Carly is."  
  
"Can't keep up with your own wife? That's…that's kinda sad." Sonny gave him  
  
a little look of sympathy.  
  
A.J. pointed his finger at him. "I know you took them. You sent them to  
Jason didn't you?"  
  
"I can honestly say that I did not send them to Jason." He managed to say  
with a straight face.  
  
A.J. frowned. He could tell that there was something wrong with that  
statement but he couldn't pick it out. "You're lying, you give them back  
right now. They are mine!"  
  
Sonny arched his eyebrow. "They are *yours*? You mean, like that coat is  
yours, that car is yours, Carly is yours?"  
  
"I'm going to have you arrested." A.J. swore.  
  
"For what? Maybe I should have you arrested. For, I don't know, stalking  
me? Accusing me of 'stealing' your wife and child. Or…attempted murder."  
  
"Murder." A.J. swallowed.  
  
"Oh yes, I have all sorts of evidence. Those sleeping pills in Carly's  
name, written statements from the woman you hired to look like Carly and  
your old friend Dr. Evans. It's amazing what a man will admit to when  
there's a gun pressed between his legs. And let's not forget the warehouse  
fire. I never forgot and neither did the man you paid." Sonny's grin was  
cold.  
  
A.J. shivered. "I don't believe you. You're talking out of you're a—"  
Before he could finish his sentence Francis had grabbed him by his shirt  
collar, making him stand on his tiptoes. Sonny walked up to him, his face  
close to his.  
  
"Maybe I am and maybe I'm not but here's what we're going to do. We're  
going to make ourselves a little deal. Do you understand?" A.J. gulped. He  
couldn't say much because Francis was cutting off his air supply. Sonny  
repeated himself. "Do you understand?"  
  
A.J. nodded.  
  
"Good." Sonny nodded to himself. "First off, you are going to give Carly  
that divorce she wanted. You are also 


	2. Chapter 2

Carly smoothed her maternity dress over her rounded stomach as the wind  
whipped her clothes and hair around. Back in Port Charles she had spent  
most of her time wearing baggy clothes to camouflage her pregnancy. A few  
days after her arrival on Isla de Vieques she had sent one of the guards  
into town to get her some comfortable maternity clothes.  
  
In the month and a half it took Sonny to handle A.J. Carly had grown to  
love the island and the isolated beach house that she stayed in. Freed from  
  
A.J. she had blossomed. She was back to being her old self and she finally  
stopped looking over her shoulder all the time expecting A.J. to swoop in.  
Her friendship with Johnny had also grown. The two of them had become  
friends. Carly was on friendly terms with the other guards but she and  
Johnny had an understanding.  
  
Life on the island was casual and very relaxed. Carly loved it because  
there was nothing to stress over. Every morning she and Michael spent  
playing on the beach. Afternoons Carly would explore the island sometimes  
accompanied by the other guards but mostly by Johnny. Carly then spent her  
evenings relaxing on the deck watching the waves and talking with Johnny.  
Carly thought his infatuation with her was cute. It, in fact, made her feel  
  
good. There was actually someone that liked her for her and not because of  
a baby. It was very tempting. But Carly wouldn't let herself get involved  
with the cute guard. Her life was a three-ring circus and she liked him too  
  
much to bring him into her messed up life. She'd rather keep him as a  
friend.  
  
Carly reached up to pull away a strand of hair that blew into her mouth but  
  
a hand beat her to it and gently pulled it away. She smiled up at Johnny  
and murmured. "Thank you."  
  
"It's kind of windy. Maybe you should stay inside today." Johnny suggested  
even as he helped her down the stairs of the beach house.  
  
She shook her head. "Michael was going a little stir crazy in the house."  
  
The best thing that came from her escape had to be her relationship with  
her son. Instead of having Leticia to rely on she had to take care of  
Michael herself. The first week was a little rocky but Michael slowly  
stopped calling for his nanny and began to trust her. She was amazed at how  
  
adaptable he was.  
  
"Michael! Honey, don't run so fast." Carly called out as Michael ran up  
ahead of her and Johnny.  
  
"He'll be fine." Johnny reassured her.  
  
"Mmm, I guess." Carly casually slipped her arm through Johnny's as they  
strolled down the beach to where Michael now played in the sand.  
  
"I need to go into town tomorrow." She informed him. "I've grown out of  
some of the pants Carlos picked up. I knew I should have gotten the bigger  
size."  
  
"I'll take you in the morning then."  
  
"Oh, you don't have to do that. Carlos or one of the other guys can do it."  
  
She knew that he would insist anyway.  
  
"I don't mind." He smiled shyly.  
  
"You really want to go shopping with a pregnant woman who has to pee every  
five minutes and a two year old?" She arched her eyebrow.  
  
He shrugged. "I really don't mind."  
  
She grinned up at him. "You are such a sweetheart."  
  
He blushed. Carly giggled and punched him in the arm. "You are so adorable  
when you do that! Why is it that some lucky girl hasn't snapped you up yet?  
  
I mean you really are a catch."  
  
"Uh…" He cleared his throat and nodded towards Michael. "He's too close to  
the water. I should go get him."  
  
"You know Johnny, we really are going to have to find you are girl soon."  
She smiled.  
  
"Really Ms. Benson." He looked away.  
  
"And I told you to cut that 'Ms. Benson' stuff out. It's Carly, okay?"  
  
"Right, Carly." He nodded. "Okay, now he's really too close to the water."  
  
Johnny jogged ahead to grab Michael out of the water before he got pulled  
in by the tide. Carly followed behind at a slower pace. Johnny whispered  
something into Michael's ear while the little boy squirmed to get out of  
his arms.  
  
Carly reached them just as Michael got free. Michael ran straight for Carly  
  
who crouched down just in time to catch him in her arms. The force of  
Michael managed to knock them both over.  
  
Johnny shouted out in fear at the sight of Carly tumbling into the sand,  
"Carly!" He ran over to them.  
  
By the time he got there the two of them were rolling around in the sand  
laughing. He dropped to his knees beside them. "Carly are you okay?"  
  
She smiled. "Did you just call me Carly?"  
  
"Are you okay?" He repeated himself. "The baby?"  
  
"We're both fine, Johnny." She assured him. "I just need a little help  
getting up. Could you?" She reached up to him.  
  
"Sure." He grabbed her hand and Carly managed to pull him off balance. He  
fell face first into the sand. He could hear her giggling over him. He  
turned over and Carly doubled over at the sight of the sand covering his  
face.  
  
"Oh my God, you should see your face!" Johnny frowned fiercely at her and  
wiped at the sand. Carly stopped laughing. "Ah, Johnny, don't be mad. You  
were so upset so I thought…"  
  
Johnny ignored her and walked towards the ocean. He knelt down and splashed  
  
water over his face, to rinse the remaining sand. Carly and Michael  
followed behind. She crouched down next to him. "Come on, Johnny, don't  
tell me you're mad."  
  
"No," He said slowly. "I'm not mad."  
  
Then he surprised her by splashing a handful of water into her face. She  
squealed. "Johnny!"  
  
"Ah, Carly, don't be mad." He mocked her.  
  
"That's it buddy boy, you're dead!" She threw herself at him and knocked  
him backwards into the water. The two of them began splashing each other.  
Michael ran around them splashing water everywhere but mostly soaking  
himself.  
  
Back at the house Sonny watched the scene from the deck. He scowled at the  
happy family image they made. While he was back in Port Charles cleaning up  
  
her mess, Carly was obviously having a good time down here. When he first  
arrived at the house the first thing he did was call out for Carly. The  
guard on duty told him she would likely be on the beach. He didn't say  
anything about her being with Johnny.  
  
His heart jumped into his throat when Michael knocked her down. His first  
concern was the baby and he wondered if it was harmed. He would have jumped  
  
the railing and went down to her but Johnny got there first. He could tell  
that she was fine by the way she threw herself into whatever game she and  
Johnny were playing.  
  
Sonny took in all the changes in Carly. The last time he saw her she was  
pale with shadows under her eyes. When they were bordering the plane she  
kept looking over her shoulder as if A.J. was going to pop up at any  
second. Now she was carefree, she glowed, she laughed, and she wasn't jumpy  
  
at all. She was also very pregnant. Sonny couldn't believe how pregnant she  
  
was. He knew she was pregnant but now that he could see *how* pregnant it  
was like it finally became real.  
  
How could she even *think* of aborting that child? Sonny didn't even know  
it yet but he was so attached to it that he would die before he let  
anything hurt his child. Maybe Carly came to the same realization and  
that's why she decided against the abortion? Or maybe she figured she could  
  
use the kid as insurance. Sonny didn't know what to think when it came to  
Carly.  
  
Sonny rubbed his forehead. He came the long way around to Isla de Vieques  
and now he was more than a little tired. If he was going to go toe to toe  
with her he needed to be rested up. He glanced once more down the beach and  
  
curiously wondered if Johnny had felt his child kick.  
  
~*~*~  
"Sonny!" Carly took a step back at the sight of Sonny sprawled out on her  
bed.  
  
She, Johnny, and Michael had stayed out on the beach for hours until  
Michael finally started complaining of hunger. So she and Johnny brought  
him in, hosed him down, fed him, and tucked him away in his bed for a nap.  
She and Johnny had a quick lunch and then they headed for the showers.  
Carly had just entered her room when she saw Sonny.  
  
Sonny rolled onto his back and stared up at Carly. He must have been more  
tired than he thought because as soon as his head hit the pillow he was  
knocked out. He didn't even notice that it smelled like Carly's shampoo.  
  
"Hello." He murmured as he rubbed his hands over his face and threw his  
hair.  
  
"What are out doing here? Is it A.J.? Does he know where I am? Is he on his  
  
way here?"  
  
Sonny sat up. "Calm down. I told you I would take care of the A.J. thing  
and I did."  
  
Carly tried to shake off her fears. "Good for you. So what are you doing  
here and why are you in my room?"  
  
"This is *my* bedroom." He pointed out as he swung his legs over the bed  
and got up. "And I'm here because I have to take you back to Port Charles."  
  
"No!" She screamed.  
  
"Carly…" Sonny muttered.  
  
Seconds later Johnny came running down the hall with a towel wrapped around  
  
his waist and a gun in his dripping hand. He didn't noticed Sonny as he  
barged into the room.  
  
"What's going on? What happened?" He demanded.  
  
"She's *fine*." Sonny said. "And why don't you go and put some clothes on."  
  
"Boss." Johnny's eyes widened. "You're here."  
  
"Yeah, I'm here. Get some clothes on, now." He ordered him.  
  
Johnny looked down and finally realized that he was half-naked and dripping  
  
water on the floor. He blushed at Carly. "I'm so sorry. I, uh, excuse me."  
He quickly left the room.  
  
Carly used the interruption as a chance to pull herself together. She  
commented dryly. "Well that was something."  
  
Sonny watched her closely. "What the hell was that about? I mention going  
back to Port Charles and you freak out."  
  
"I'm not going back there." She said firmly. "I can't. I go back, A.J. gets  
  
Michael, I end up in that hellhole or worse I end up *dead*." She shook her  
  
head fiercely. "Uh-uh. I'm not going back. I will take Michael and I'll  
disappear. I'll go to *China* but I'm *not* going back there! You can't  
make me."  
  
"I told you I would take care of A.J., right? I come through on my  
promises. The only reason you need to come back is to sign some papers for  
the divorce. You got everything you wanted from him and a little more."  
  
"Why can't I just sign the papers down here?" Carly asked.  
  
"You have to meet with A.J. and his lawyer. Carly." He raised his voice  
when she walked away from him shaking her head over and over and crossing  
her arms over her stomach. The stomach that Sonny couldn't keep his eyes  
off. "Calm down, damn it."  
  
She laughed. "You think I'm stupid. This is some sort of trick. A.J. is  
going to trap me somehow. He wants me all alone and…"  
  
Sonny walked over to her and gently rubbed her arms. "Listen to me, I'm not  
  
going to let you met with him by yourself okay? My lawyer and I will be  
there every step of the way. A.J. will not have a chance to be alone with  
you. He knows better to threaten you. He knows I'm protecting you and  
Michael now and he can't afford to mess with me."  
  
"How do you know?" She asked softly. "How do you know A.J. won't try  
anything. How on earth did you get him to agree to the divorce and to my  
terms?"  
  
"I have my ways and that's all you need to know." Sonny said evasively.  
"Just know this, A.J. is no longer an issue. And even if he were you have  
nothing to worry about because I'm not going to let *anyone* hurt this  
child."  
  
"I want to believe you but…" Carly looked away. "For too long the only  
person I've had to really count on was me. Yeah I leaned on Jason a lot but  
  
I never really believed that I could count on him to save me all the time.  
I knew after a while he would get fed up."  
  
"I'm not about to replace Jason." He warned her. "I'm not going to be your  
safety net pulling your butt out of the fire every time one of your schemes  
  
backfire. I'm just doing this for the kid and for Michael."  
  
"I know that." She insisted.  
  
"Do you mind if I..." Sonny surprised them both with his request but he  
couldn't help it. During their talk he couldn't keep his eyes away from her  
  
stomach. He started to reach out for her stomach but she quickly stepped  
back.  
  
She protectively folded her arms over her stomach and turned away. "No."  
  
"No?" He raised his eyebrow.  
  
She hurried to explain. "I just…for so long I've been the only one who  
really knew that the baby was here. And you wanting to touch my stomach is  
a little too intimate for me. I'm not sure I'm ready to share the baby with  
  
you."  
  
"Well you better get ready to learn how to share, do you understand me?"  
  
"Oh that's great Sonny!" She threw her hands up in exasperation. "Threaten  
me. If you haven't noticed threatening me doesn't work. It just makes me  
crazy, makes me do stupid things."  
  
"I wasn't threatening you. I was just stating a fact." He stared at her.  
"Did I somehow threaten you before? Is that why you were going to abort the  
  
baby and not tell me?"  
  
"Who told you?" Carly gasped. Then she remembered. "Damn Bobbie and her big  
  
mouth! She just can't help herself can she?"  
  
"It slipped out." He shrugged. "But forget her. I want to know why you  
didn't tell me?"  
  
"Because I was confused! Because you hate me and I had to deal with this  
myself. It's my body and at the time it was my problem. You happy?"  
  
"I'm not *happy* that doesn't satisfy me at all."  
  
Carly started to answer him but Michael's crying cut her off. She knew what  
  
was wrong. Michael had been having nightmares lately because when they were  
  
in town a week ago, a stray cat tried to attack him. "I have to go. He  
needs me."  
  
Sonny rubbed the back of his neck while he watched her hurry down the hall.  
  
~*~*~  
"If I *have* to go back to Port Charles I'm leaving Michael here." Carly  
said stubbornly the next morning at breakfast.  
  
Sonny barely looked up from his plate. "You're being irrational. And you  
are going to Port Charles."  
  
He was still angry at the disappearing act Carly pulled on him last night.  
After she went to Michael he couldn't find her for the rest of the day. He  
found out later that she went into town with Johnny. After that she managed  
  
to hide out from him until he found her curled up and sleeping in her bed.  
If she thought she was going to keep avoiding him and the topic of abortion  
  
then she had another thing coming.  
  
"I'd be an idiot if I take him back there. A.J. will not waste a single  
opportunity to get his hands on him. I'm not going to let that happen."  
  
"A.J. won't get a chance to close to Michael. Trust me."  
  
Carly just stared at him mutely. Sonny angrily wiped his mouth with his  
napkin, threw it down on the table, and stood. "It's time that you stop  
being scared of A.J. It's not good for the baby or you."  
  
Carly stood also. "If I let my guard down once A.J. will see use that  
weakness and he'll take my son and I won't let it happen!"  
  
"Haven't I proved to you that I can handle A.J.? I got you safely out of  
town, I got you your divorce, and I won't let him get to you again. Now  
Michael is coming with us and that's final."  
  
"That's final?" Carly raised her eyebrow. "What are you my father?"  
  
"No." He nodded in the direction of her stomach. "I'm the father of *that*  
child."  
  
Carly crossed her arms and looked away. Sonny sighed. "Look, did you even  
give this much thought? Who are you going to leave Michael with? Carlos?  
One of the others? Be realistic, Carly, in case you haven't noticed Michael  
  
depends on you now. He doesn't need you to leave him with some more  
strangers."  
  
"Michael is a tough kid. But you," she grudgingly admitted, "you're right.  
*But* when we get back I want guards on him twenty-four hours a day. You  
hear me?"  
  
"Fine!" Sonny agreed. Anything to shut her up. "Get packed. We're leaving  
as soon as you're ready."  
  
Johnny came into the dining room and Carly brightened up. "Johnny, just the  
  
person I wanted to see. I'm going to need some help packing—"  
  
"He's not here to act as your personal maid." Sonny snapped.  
  
Johnny hesitated before saying. "There's a storm coming in, sir. The plane  
won't be able to fly out until tomorrow."  
  
Sonny swore softly and glared at Carly. "We should have left last night  
like I wanted."  
  
Carly rolled her eyes. "Whatever. So we're stuck here another night. Get  
over it. Johnny, I'm taking Michael down to the beach. Want to come along?"  
  
Johnny looked at Sonny before answering. Now that Sonny was here he knew  
that things were going to be different between him and Carly. Sonny noticed  
  
Johnny's hesitation and guessed the reason behind it. "Go ahead."  
  
"Oh thank you so much." Carly muttered sarcastically.  
  
Sonny ignored her tone. "Just be ready to go first thing in the morning."  
  
After a whole day of successfully avoiding Sonny, Carly padded out barefoot  
  
onto the deck. She expected to see Johnny waiting for her but was  
disappointed to find Sonny already lounging on a deck chair with his feet  
propped up on the railing.  
  
Carly scowled and said. "Oh, it's you."  
  
Sonny glanced up at her. "Expecting someone else? Johnny?"  
  
"Yes." She said defiantly. "We always sit out here at night."  
  
"I know. I saw you two last night." He murmured.  
  
"And?" Carly walked around his chair and settled onto the empty chair next  
to his. "It's pretty out here at night."  
  
He nodded slowly. "It really is. Even with all the rain."  
  
"Johnny really is missing a great show." She commented. "I wonder where he  
is."  
  
"He's doing his job. For once." He muttered.  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"Instead of running around catering to your every whim he's doing what he  
was sent down here to do. Protect you, Michael, and the baby."  
  
"So you trying to say he couldn't be my friend and still be my bodyguard?"  
Carly twisted around in her seat to face him in the moonlight.  
  
"I'm saying you were distracting him too much." Now he twisted around to  
face her also. "What kind of game are you playing with Johnny? Huh?"  
  
"Game? I'm not playing any game. We're *friends*. I know the concept might  
be a little foreign to you but that's exactly what Johnny and I  
are—friends. He actually cares about *me*. It's about time someone did."  
  
Sonny laughed. "Don't give me that crap."  
  
"And don't *you* even try to tell me that you care about me. All you care  
about what's in here." Carly pointed at her stomach.  
  
"I wasn't talking about me. I meant Bobbie. She's worried about you."  
  
"She'll get over it. The next time I see her I'll get some lovely lecture  
on how I'm a screw up and can't do anything right. You might want to join  
in. Do a little tag team. That way I won't have to go through it twice. You  
  
know what's funny?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"We've been around each other two days straight and you haven't said one  
insulting thing to me yet. Wait you have, you just haven't gotten as nasty  
as you usually are."  
  
Sonny shrugged and stared out at the waves. "There really hasn't been any  
reason to do it."  
  
"There never is any reason for it. What's so different about now? Is it the  
  
baby?"  
  
"You think you'd be happy with a truce."  
  
"So that's what this is a truce? And how long will it last? A week, a  
month, until the baby is born?"  
  
Sonny looked at her. "Why don't we just go with the flow. See who breaks  
first."  
  
Carly laughed a little. "I already know who'd break first, Sonny, cause you  
  
just can't help yourself."  
  
"Whatever." Sonny leaned back into his chair.  
  
"And what about after the baby comes?" Carly said softly.  
  
"What do you want to know now?" Sonny asked slightly aggravated.  
  
"I don't want to raise this child in Port Charles. I can't go back there.  
It holds too many bad memories and I won't subject Michael or this child to  
  
any negativity that will come from just being my children."  
  
"No one in Port Charles is a saint." He pointed out.  
  
"Yeah but you never know it from all the high horses they ride around on."  
Carly said derisively. "Right now I'm the town whipping boy and I won't  
pass that onto my kids. So I want to know what we're going to do. I like  
this island. I'd love to stay here forever if I could but unfortunately for  
  
me it's all up to you."  
  
"I'm not going to just give up my child."  
  
"I know that. How many times have you said that we're same? So I really  
know what you're mean. So we're going to have work out some sort of  
custody."  
  
"Not right now, Carly."  
  
"When?" She pressed.  
  
"Not now. We'll just wait and see what happens. I don't want to stress you  
too much, it'll only end up harming the baby."  
  
"News flash, Sonny, I'm already a little stressed." Carly snapped. She  
struggled to get up on the chair. Sonny got up to help her out but she  
shrugged off his arm. "I'm okay. I'm going to bed and don't worry I've  
packed. We can head for the airport right after breakfast."  
  
~*~*~  
"I don't like this." Carly murmured as she clutched Johnny's arm. Her other  
  
hand was pushing Michael's stroller. Johnny was guiding Carly, Sonny, and  
Michael through the unnaturally crowded airport. "Why are there so many  
people here?"  
  
"It's an airport." Sonny said slowly as if she was an idiot. "There are  
always a lot of people here."  
  
"I know that." She snapped. She looked around. "But still…"  
  
"This isn't some sort of diversion created by the Qs, believe me, Junior  
isn't that clever. Let go of Johnny." He ordered her. "What did A.J. do to  
you in that house?"  
  
"I'm not being separated from him." She ignored his remark.  
  
"He can't do his job if you're clinging to him." Sonny reasoned. He  
narrowed his eyes.  
She glanced up at Johnny who nodded regretfully. He loved the fact that she  
  
relied on him but he needed to be able to move freely. "Sorry, Ms. Benson."  
  
"Carly." She absentmindedly corrected him. She released his arm only to  
grab Sonny's. He looked at her in surprise. She snapped. "Don't get a big  
head."  
  
"I guess I'm the next best thing."  
  
"You said it not me." She suddenly heard her name being shouted over the  
din and looked around with fear in her eyes. "No!"  
  
"Calm down, it's just Bobbie. I called her this morning to let her know we  
were on our way. I guess she decided to meet us here."  
  
"Carly!" Bobbie pushed her way through the crowd and embraced her daughter.  
  
"You scared the life out of me. I didn't know where you were, if you were  
okay or hurt or what. I didn't even know you were missing for a week."  
  
"I'm fine, Bobbie, really." She laughed weakly.  
  
"If you ever disappear on me again I swear I'll kill you myself." Bobbie  
threatened before hugging her tightly again. She pulled back and gaped at  
Carly's stomach, which she was finally seeing for the first time. "Carly…"  
  
"What? You knew I was pregnant." She frowned.  
  
"Yeah but you'd always wore those baggy clothes. It's just…it just finally  
hit me." Bobbie started to reach out but Carly blocked her. Bobbie didn't  
even notice. "How is the baby?"  
  
"Fine. I found a doctor on the island and had a check up last week. He said  
  
we're both in perfect health."  
  
"Island? So that's where you went. No wonder you look so tanned." Bobbie  
touched the side of Carly's face.  
  
"Yeah it was a nice getaway. Could we get out of here now? I don't like  
being out in the open like this." Carly looked around. "Bobbie, you didn't  
tell any of the Quartermaines that I was coming back did you?"  
  
Bobbie smiled. "No, but yesterday A.J. showed up demanding I tell him where  
  
you were. He's in bad shape."  
  
"Sonny!" Carly widened her eyes and stared up at him angrily. "I thought  
you handled him."  
  
"I did. Don't even worry about him. He's just blowing smoke out of his  
ass." Sonny assured her.  
  
"You know maybe we *should* get out of here." Bobbie said. "I assume you  
and Michael will be staying at the Brownstone with me?"  
  
Sonny answered for her. "No, they're staying at the penthouse with me."  
  
  
  



	3. Chapter 3

Carly stared at Sonny. "Excuse me? I'm doing what?"  
  
"You're scared that A.J. is coming for you? Then it's safer for you to stay  
  
at the penthouse. It's easier for me to keep you under guard at my place  
than to send them over to the Brownstone."  
  
"I don't know about this…" She chewed on her bottom lip.  
  
"Honey, this might be a good idea after all." Bobbie jumped in. She could  
see that Sonny was getting impatient and this was a conversation that they  
didn't need to be having in the middle of the airport.  
  
"Since it seems you don't want me staying with you then I guess Michael and  
  
I will stay with Sonny." Carly frowned at her.  
  
"Now, you know I didn't it mean it like that so don't start that up."  
Bobbie warned her.  
  
Sonny checked his watch. "We should go, we have to meet with the lawyer on  
the way to the penthouse. Johnny, take Michael and Bobbie to the penthouse  
ahead of us. They don't need to wait around while we're in the meeting."  
  
Carly glared at him as he started barking out the orders. "And who's coming  
  
with us, if Johnny is with them?"  
  
"Francis." Sonny grinned nastily at the look on her face. "Come on, let's  
go."  
  
~*~*~  
"Be careful, sir. The lobby was just mopped." The Harborview Towers doorman  
  
warned Sonny as he escorted Carly inside. Sonny nodded in his direction.  
  
"So according to your lawyer all I do is sign and I'm free?" Carly asked  
for the umpteenth time.  
  
"If you ask me that one more time…" Sonny gritted out. "Yes, one signature  
and that's all."  
  
"I just don't want any slip ups." Carly whirled around to face him and her  
foot slid on the wet floor. "Whoa!"  
  
"Carly! Would you be more careful." He said harshly as he reached out to  
steady her. If anything happened to their child…  
  
"Well, well, well it's about time you showed up. So where was he hiding  
you?" A.J.'s voice drifted over to them. He emerged from a dark corner  
where he'd been waiting.  
  
"A.J." Carly whispered. She turned accusing eyes to Sonny. He was supposed  
to keep him away.  
  
"Get out of here, A.J. before I call the cops."  
  
"Hey, I just wanted to see the wife." A.J. staggered over to them. It was  
clear that he was drunk. "Is that a tan? Did he stash you somewhere  
tropical? I bet it ticked you off that you were too knocked up to get any  
action. Then again knowing you…"  
  
"Do something." Carly hissed as she pressed herself closer to Sonny's side.  
  
He was the only thing that separated her and A.J. She was not going to let  
him get close to her. Sonny wrapped his arm around her.  
  
"Oh, isn't that sweet? Look at that. You two are already looking like a  
couple. Awww." A.J. said in a mocking tone. "That is until she finds  
someone with deeper pockets. Enjoy it while it last Sonny, she's trash but  
she's still a fun ride."  
  
"Francis." Sonny snapped and the guard grabbed A.J. and dragged him over to  
  
the door.  
  
"Hey! You can't do this."  
  
"I just did." Sonny smirked.  
  
"He's not going to be around all the time Carly. One day, him, the guards,  
they'll all be gone and then it'll be just you and me. You and me, Carly. I  
  
won't forget, baby."  
  
Carly buried her face in Sonny's shirt until A.J. was out of the building.  
Then she unleashed her fury on Sonny, hitting him over and over on the  
chest. "Damn you, you said you took care of him. You said you'd keep him  
away from me. I thought you kept your promises."  
  
"That was just a fluke." He swore and grabbed her hands to keep her from  
hitting him again.  
  
"No, that was glimpse of the way things are going to be isn't it? A.J.'s  
going to pop up whenever he wants and threaten me. Did you hear him? Did  
you hear him!"  
  
"I heard him, Carly. But I'm not going to let hurt you."  
  
"I don't believe you. Johnny wouldn't have let him get that close. I know  
that Jason wouldn't have either." She shot out.  
  
"Too bad for you because I'm not Jason. I do things my own way and when I  
say that I'll care of it, I will. Now calm the hell down for once."  
  
"It's not good for me or the baby." She repeated his warning with a smirk  
on her face.  
  
"It's not. Tomorrow, we'll get you a restraining order." At Carly's snort  
he added. "It's a start. Now, are you calmed down? Michael doesn't need to  
see you all worked up."  
  
"Oh God, Michael." Carly pressed her hand to her mouth. "What if he got  
upstairs?"  
  
"He didn't."  
  
"How do you know?"  
  
"Someone would have called me." He said logically.  
  
"I have to check on my son."  
  
"Fine, but go slow. I don't want you slipping again."  
  
Once they got to the penthouse Carly rushed in past the guard on duty and  
found Bobbie helping Michael play with his building blocks in the middle of  
  
the living room. Carly snatched Michael up and hugged her tightly to him.  
  
Sonny shrugged out of his coat and sniffed. "See, I told you he was fine.  
Now put him down before you smother him to death."  
  
Even as she turned to glare at him she gave Michael back to Bobbie. "Do not  
  
tell me what I can and cannot do regarding *my* son. You have no say."  
  
"Come on, he was turning blue." Sonny said with a laugh.  
  
"He was fine!"  
  
Bobbie looked from Carly and Sonny and back. "You guys, maybe you shouldn't  
  
fight in front of Michael. I'll take him upstairs for his nap."  
  
"Nobody's fighting." Carly faked a grin and a cheery tone for Michael's  
benefit. She carefully picked him up again. "And I'll put him down for his  
nap."  
  
As Carly stomped upstairs Bobbie walked over to Sonny. "You know, maybe  
this wasn't such a good idea after all."  
  
Sonny dropped down onto the couch. "Things will work out fine."  
  
"Things aren't going to work out if you keep fighting."  
  
"We wouldn't fight if she would just do as I tell her to." Sonny mumbled.  
  
"It's obvious you don't know my daughter because you *can't* tell her what  
to do. She'll only ignore you and do her own thing. *Or* she'll go to the  
extreme and do what you want but do it in such a way that you'd wish you'd  
never even bothered in the first place."  
  
Sonny closed his eyes and rubbed his temples. "Are you done?"  
  
"No, but you look tired. Sonny, it'll be easier on everyone involved if you  
  
would just give in a little."  
  
"I give in enough." He shot back.  
  
Bobbie raised an eyebrow disapprovingly and continued. "You two better  
learn to work together. Ordering Carly around isn't the wisest thing you  
could do."  
  
Sonny let out an exasperating sigh. To him, none of this was any of  
Bobbie's business. What happened between Carly and him only had to do with  
the two of them and their child. "Right."  
  
Bobbie could tell that she was getting to him but not in the way she meant.  
  
She gathered up her purse and coat. "You know what? Tell Carly that I'll  
see her tomorrow after the signing. She should rest up tonight. Jet lag can  
  
be murder."  
  
"I will." Sonny murmured.  
  
Carly padded down the stairs barefoot just as Bobbie left. "Where's she  
going?"  
  
"She thinks you should get some rest. And so do I?" Sonny stood up and  
walked around the couch towards her.  
  
"Do I look like I care?" Carly snipped at him.  
  
"Carly…" Sonny rubbed the back of his neck and forced back a retort. "You  
and me, this fighting thing isn't going work."  
  
"Who said were fighting? We had a disagreement here and there but no real  
fights yet. Unless you're just dying to end the truce. God, you couldn't  
even last a day could you?"  
  
"I'm trying to end the truce, maybe you and I should stop butting heads."  
  
"Maybe you should stop ticking me off. It's not good for the baby." She  
said in a saccharine tone and patted her stomach.  
  
Sonny gritted his teeth. "Never mind. I try to do the right thing and you  
just…forget it."  
  
Carly sighed. She wasn't helping things ever by taking everything he said  
the wrong way. Most of the time she was just looking for an excuse. "Okay,  
okay, I won't…I won't jump on everything you say if you promise to stop  
telling me what to do."  
  
Sonny stared at her and she sighed again. "Alright, unless it has to do  
with this baby, okay? Are you happy?"  
  
He nodded. "Fine with me."  
  
"God, you are so difficult." She grabbed a pillow and wrapped her arms  
around. "I don't know how we're ever going to live together without  
fighting."  
  
"Hey, I don't want to fight with you all the time. You start most of it. I  
think you happen to like fighting with me." He narrowed his eyes  
suspiciously.  
  
"Please." Carly tossed her pillow at him. "I don't think so. I think you  
like the fighting more. What, does it turn you on or something? God, I bet  
you're one of those fetish types."  
  
"Kinky sex seems more like your style." Sonny smirked. "I like the slow old  
  
fashioned if it ain't broke don't fix it type."  
  
"Boring." Carly faked a yawn.  
  
"Not with me." Sonny drawled.  
  
"Right." Carly snorted.  
  
"Not that you'd ever find out…"  
  
"Already had the pleasure, remember?" She gestured towards her stomach.  
"Wasn't exactly memorable."  
  
Sonny chuckled to himself. Carly picked up another pillow and tossed it him  
  
again. "Get over yourself!"  
  
He smiled slowly and seductively. "You know you still think about. The  
satin sheets, when we knocked over the lamp, the—"  
  
"Puh-lease!" Carly stressed the word and rolled her eyes.  
  
"What's the line again? 'Methinks the lady doth protest too much?'"  
  
"Your Shakespeare sucks." Carly muttered.  
  
"I guess I'll have to lock my door tonight to keep you from getting in."  
Sonny teased.  
  
"Whatever." Carly got up and walked over to the window. How did they end up  
  
talking about sex anyway? Sex was what got them into this mess in the first  
  
place. Time for a change in subject. "I wish I was still on the island. I  
love to take a walk on the beach right about now. To feel the sand  
squishing between my toes…"  
  
"With Johnny right?" Sonny scowled.  
  
Carly frowned and turned around. "Yeah with Johnny. We like to take walks  
together. He was the only who talked to me down there. Does my friendship  
with Johnny really bother you that much?"  
  
"No." Sonny laughed it off and scratched his ear. "That's the last thing on  
  
my mind. I'm just…curious."  
  
"*Right*." Carly dragged the word out.  
  
"I'm going to bed, we have to get up early tomorrow. You should think about  
  
going to bed too." Sonny muttered.  
  
"Was that an order?"  
  
"It was a *suggestion*." Sonny said.  
  
"I'll go to bed soon. I'm just don't feel that tired right now." Carly  
shrugged.  
  
"Well do it soon. If you want." He quickly added.  
  
"Uh-huh." Carly walked back to the couch and curled up. Sonny paused on the  
  
stairs and stared at her. Carly glanced up. "Yeah?"  
  
"Goodnight? That's what people say."  
  
She frowned. "Yeah, goodnight, whatever." Sonny shook his head and made his  
  
way up the stairs.  
  
There was a soft knock then Johnny opened the door and stuck his head  
inside. Carly lit up at the sight of him. "Hey you!"  
  
"Where's Mr. Corinthos?" Johnny whispered.  
  
"He went upstairs. You want me to get him?"  
  
"No, I have something for you." Johnny carried a plastic take out bag in  
one hand.  
  
Carly sniffed the air and broke out into a big smile. "Is that what I think  
  
it is?"  
  
"Fried plantains, just the way you like it." Johnny took out the carryout  
container and placed it on the coffee table.  
  
"Oh my God, Johnny! Where did you find this?" Carly happily dug into the  
container. "Did you get me a knife and fork, never mind I'll just eat it  
with my hands. How did you know I would be craving this?"  
  
Johnny laughed as he watched Carly devour the sweet banana. "I don't know,  
maybe the fact that you've eaten it every night for the past two weeks  
might have clued me in?"  
  
"You are too good to me, Johnny." She smiled. Her smile grew bigger when he  
  
blushed from her praise. She shook her head. "Uh-uh, those blushes are not  
going to get me to share my plantains with you so don't even bother."  
  
"I would never—" He protested half-heartedly. Actually he was thinking of a  
  
way to snatch one without her knowing.  
  
"Yeah right. I saw the way you were eyeing them." Carly covered the  
container with one hand and held the other one up to stop him, just in  
case. "You know what would be lovely with this?"  
  
"Don't say it, don't say it." Johnny's face scrunched up in disgust. He  
knew what was coming.  
  
"Ice cream! Vanilla ice cream. Please, Johnny." She pleaded.  
  
"Ugh, you cannot want that."  
  
"It's not me, it's the baby. Now, go get some vanilla ice cream. Breyer's,  
the kind with the vanilla beans. Oh! And some chocolate sauce. And more  
plantains, I'll finish these before you get back."  
  
"I am not going to get you ice cream." Johnny shook his head forcefully.  
"It's not healthy, especially with that."  
  
"Johnny…" Carly pouted and Johnny gave in.  
  
"Ok, ok. I'll be back with the ice cream and plantains soon." Johnny made  
his way to the door.  
  
"Thanks, I'll even share with you if you like." Carly said graciously. She  
laughed at the face he made at the prospect. "Wait! Here you can have one."  
  
She held out the strip of banana for him. He came back over and went to  
reach for it with his hand but Carly held it away. "Uh-uh, open wide."  
  
He obediently opened his mouth and Carly popped it in. He smiled as he  
chewed. 'Thank you."  
  
"No prob." She wiped away a bit of grease from the corner of his mouth.  
"Okay, now go get more food."  
  
Upstairs Sonny watched the scene play out. He wore a severe frown. He  
didn't like the closeness they shared or how comfortable they were in each  
other's company. If he didn't trust Johnny so much he would send him out of  
  
town for a few months. It wasn't that he was jealous of Johnny and Carly's  
relationship. The notion of that was absurd. He just didn't trust Carly to  
not try to turn his own guard against him. The last thing he needed was his  
  
guard being loyal to someone other than him. That was all it was, Sonny  
told himself. Nothing more.  
  
~*~*~  
"Tell me again why we're meeting at A.J.'s lawyer's office?" Carly  
complained as she and Sonny walked off the elevator. They were flanked by  
Johnny and Francis. "I thought we, you, were in control."  
  
"We are. A.J. knows we hold all the cards but having *us* come to him makes  
  
him feel important." Sonny said. He took her elbow and guided her towards  
the room they would be meeting in.  
  
"Shouldn't your lawyer be with us?" Carly looked around.  
  
"He's meeting us there."  
  
"Do I look alright? Like I'm in control?" Carly glanced down at the suit  
Bobbie brought over for her that morning. It was a navy blue sleeveless  
dress with a matching jacket. For once Carly didn't feel like a whale.  
  
"Yeah, yeah, you look fine." Sonny mumbled without sparing her a glance.  
Carly scowled but didn't say anything. She was too nervous to start an  
argument.  
  
"This is it." Sonny stopped in front of the door. "Johnny, Francis, you two  
  
stay out here."  
  
He glanced at Carly expecting her to complain but she stayed quiet. He  
knocked on the door once then opened it without waiting for an answer.  
Adrian Stewart and A.J. were on one side of a long table and Sonny's lawyer  
  
was waiting on the other side. Sonny helped Carly into a chair and stood  
behind it, one hand resting on the back.  
  
"You're late." A.J. said obnoxiously. He eyed Carly and she shrank back  
against the chair. Sonny placed his hand on her shoulder and squeezed.  
  
Sonny ignored him and spoke to his lawyer. "You have the papers?"  
  
"Right here, sir." He withdrew a packet of papers from his pocket and slid  
it across the table.  
  
"What's this?" A.J. started to pick them up but Adrian got it first. He  
scanned them. "It's a restraining order. You are order to stay at least  
five hundred feet away from Miss Benson."  
  
"What! They can't do that."  
  
"They can do whatever they want." Adrian thought back to his not quite  
legal girlfriend. "Don't complain about it."  
  
"This isn't fair."  
  
"Are we hear to sign some papers or just listen to Junior whine?" Sonny  
drawled lazily.  
  
His attitude was one of 'whatever, I don't give a damn'. Carly drew  
strength from it. Sonny was right. They were the ones with the power. Right  
  
now she had nothing to be afraid. A.J. couldn't touch her. Sonny was here;  
Johnny and Francis were just outside, waiting. Sonny could feel her relax  
under his hand and smiled a little.  
  
Sonny's lawyer placed the papers in front of A.J. who stared at them for a  
few seconds. He looked up at Carly to stare into her eyes. She stared back  
and finally spoke. "Sign them, A.J. let's end this now."  
  
"Not the ending I had planned." A.J. muttered.  
  
"We could go for another ending if you want Junior. One that includes you  
behind bars. Would you like that?" Sonny sneered. "Sign the damn papers."  
  
A.J. swallowed hard but slowly signed away his wife, his child, and the  
future he once thought they could have. With each signature Carly's smile  
got bigger and bigger. It was finally happening. She was almost free!  
  
A.J. caught her smiling and snarled. "Don't you dare laugh, because this  
isn't over!"  
  
"Shut up, A.J." Adrian murmured when he saw the way Sonny was looking at  
A.J.  
  
In spite of herself Carly held onto her smile. She picked up the pen and  
grabbed the papers. "This ends now, just as soon as I finish my name."  
  
But before she could complete her signatures A.J. slammed his hands against  
  
the table, stood up and stormed out. Carly shrugged and finished. "There we  
  
go. Does this mean I'm done?"  
  
Sonny had to smile to himself. She didn't let A.J. cower her. He was proud  
of her. "Yeah, you're free."  
  
"I'm free?" Carly beamed. She jumped up, as much as her advanced pregnancy  
would let her. She hugged Sonny. "Thank you!" Then she surprised Sonny's  
lawyer by hugging and thanking him too. She was about to go around the  
table and hug Adrian but Sonny stopped her.  
  
"Hey, you want to celebrate? Lunch or something?" He grinned at her. "The  
PC Grille?"  
  
"Yeah! I'm starved." She grinned back. Once they were out of the office she  
  
jumped on Johnny laughing. "I'm free! I'm free! This is the *best* day of  
my life."  
  
A.J. had stomped down the corridor to Adrian's office. He could Carly  
laughing and crowing about her victory over him. He poured himself a glass  
of scotch that Adrian kept around for celebrations. He tossed it back and  
grimaced.  
  
"Enjoy it now, Carly." He said as the warmth of the scotch spread  
throughout. "It's not going to last."  
  
He dropped the glass on the carpeted floor and grabbed the bottle. He  
wasn't sure what he was going to do. He would just figure it out along the  
way. One way or another they will respect him again.  
  
~*~*~  
Carly and Sonny had just finished off their appetizers. For once they'd  
managed to hold a civil conversation. Neither wanted to disrupt the  
celebration with a petty argument. "I just can't believe it's all over.  
Just like that." Carly snapped her fingers.  
  
"Over and done with. Now we can move on to the more important things."  
Sonny said.  
  
"Yeah, those." Carly lowered her eyes.  
  
"Forget I mentioned that." He quickly said. "We can worry about the future  
tomorrow alright?"  
  
"Right. Tonight's about my freedom." She picked up her glass of sparkling  
water and toasted. "To freedom!"  
  
"Hear, hear." Sonny clicked glasses with her.  
  
"I'm so glad you're having a good time after you destroyed my son."  
Monica's angered voice came from out of nowhere.  
  
"Monica." Sonny smiled falsely at her while Carly stared down at the table  
and groaned. "If anyone destroyed your son, it was him."  
  
"He was fine until *she* came into his life."  
  
"Right, because being the family screw up and the drunk who wrapped his  
brother's head around a tree is just peachy keen compared to him marrying  
me!" Carly snapped. Her eyes shot fire at Monica who stepped back slightly.  
  
"He would have never started drinking again if you hadn't taken his son  
from him."  
  
"He started drinking because he's weak." Carly snarled. "And I took *my*  
son with me like any good mother."  
  
"You don't know anything about being a good mother. If you were you  
wouldn't be sitting her knocked up by this sleaze. You think we didn't  
know? A.J. told us everything."  
  
"I'd rather be pregnant by Sonny any day than carry another Quartermaine.  
At least Sonny's all man, not some sniveling mama's boy whose own mother  
doesn't want him unless he's the last resort. You know you wouldn't be  
going through all this if this were Jason's child. You'd be on your knees  
kissing my feet if you thought it'd impress Jason."  
  
"You'd like to think that wouldn't you?" Monica hissed. "You aren't good  
enough for either of my sons. A.J. is better off without you anyway but  
believe me when I say that we won't give up on Michael. He'll be coming  
home to us where he belongs."  
  
"Try it and A.J. goes to jail. He's given up all rights, he knows he can't  
win." Sonny answered. He'd enjoyed Carly's little impassioned speech but he  
  
wasn't going to let Monica continue to threaten her.  
  
She stared down Sonny. "I don't know what kind of blackmail you have on him  
  
but—"  
  
"He tried to make me seem crazy, Monica." Carly said softly.  
  
"We all knew that. Sane people don't go to Ferncliff." Monica snapped.  
  
"He tried to kill me." Carly said a little louder.  
  
"Right, my son is not a killer." Monica denied. "And if he tried, he would  
have succeeded. Pity he didn't try."  
  
"Sonny, I want to leave now." Carly stood up abruptly, knocking the table  
with her stomach.  
  
"You're going to run again, Carly? Do us all a favor and don't come back."  
Monica sneered.  
  
"Why don't *you* do us all a favor and shut up." Sonny barked. He placed  
his hand against Carly's back and guided her out of the restaurant.  
  
~*~*~  
A.J. sat hunched over the wheel of his car. He was parked across the street  
  
from The PC Grille, waiting. Every now and then he would take a drink from  
the bottle of scotch that he'd snatched from his lawyer's office. Once he  
actually thought to himself 'What am I doing? This is crazy. Just turn  
around, go home, and sleep it off.' But then he took another sip and all  
rational thoughts were gone. The only thing left was revenge. He wasn't  
afraid of Sonny Corinthos. He was Alan Quatermaine Junior, damn it!  
  
A.J. watched as Sonny escorted Carly into the waiting limousine. She looked  
  
very upset and Sonny wore a frown. A.J. wondered what happened in the  
restaurant that caused them to leave so quickly. He didn't have enough time  
  
to worry about that; their limo was starting to pull away. He quickly  
followed. He wasn't sure what he was going to do but he knew it was going  
to be big. Corinthos would never disrespect him again.  
  
While waiting behind them at a red light the thought suddenly hit him. Look  
  
at how vulnerable they were in that limousine. They were the proverbial  
sitting ducks. Anything to just come along and hit them. They were the only  
  
ones on the road. Nobody would see him do it.  
  
A sinister smile stretched over his lips and he laughed to himself.  
Perfect, absolutely perfect. A little rear end to show Sonny he wasn't  
scared and then he could take off before Sonny could get out of the car. He  
  
could do nothing about it! A.J. finished off the bottle for a little extra  
courage and then tightened his hands on the steering wheel.  
  
Inside the limousine Sonny was speaking softly to Carly. Her leg was  
shaking. "You shouldn't let her get to you like that."  
  
"You don't know what it was like. When Monica realized how A.J. felt about  
me she decided it gave her carte blanche to treat me anyway she wanted. She  
  
*hates* me Sonny. You heard her. She wants me dead."  
  
"She's *nothing*." He stressed the word. "After today you never have to  
deal with the woman and she knows that. That's why she just had to get one  
last dig in."  
  
Carly shook her and looked away. "You…"  
  
Sonny laid his hand on her knee and squeezed. "There's no sense in getting  
so worked up over this. It's not good for the baby."  
  
Carly stared down at his hand. "And everything's about the baby, right?  
Nothing about my feelings?"  
  
"You can take care of yourself, the baby can't. It's depending on you so if  
  
you won't look out for it then let me."  
  
"Don't ever accuse me of not looking out for my kid!" Carly snapped and  
pushed his hand off her knee. "And keep your hands off of me."  
  
"Too late for that." He snapped back.  
  
Carly stared at the window for a second. She muttered. "I'm sorry, I said I  
  
wasn't going to do that anymore."  
  
He took a deep breath and murmured. "Fighting's not going to do us any  
good."  
  
Carly hesitantly nodded. "I suppose you're right…"  
  
"So…you think I'm 'all man'?" Sonny said with an arch eyebrow.  
  
"Shut up." She rolled her eyes. "I only said it tick off Monica. Michael's  
more of a man that A.J."  
  
She absentmindedly rubbed her stomach comforting herself and the baby.  
Sonny studied the way her hand moved up and down. Carly looked up and  
caught the longing look on his face. She rolled her eyes, oh for goodness  
sake. He looked like he was a little boy and she had his ice cream cone.  
  
She sighed dramatically and said, "Sonny."  
  
"Huh?" He glanced up.  
  
"Would you like to…" She paused, took off her seat belt, and twisted in the  
  
seat to face him. "Feel the baby?"  
  
She watched as a light came on in his eyes as he tried to hide his glee.  
Carly was taken aback at how happy he was at the prospect of just touching  
her stomach. Sonny couldn't believe that he was about to finally get a  
chance to feel something that he helped create.  
  
"Well, I…sure." He shrugged and slowly stretched out his hand.  
  
"Oh, just do it." She snapped.  
  
She grabbed his hand and was just about to lay it on her stomach when the  
car was suddenly hit from behind. Carly was sent flying and landed against  
the seat across from her.  
  
"Carly, are you okay?" Sonny said frantically. He quickly unbuckled his  
seatbelt. "What the hell was that? Johnny!"  
  
"I'm okay." She murmured as she tried to get up. She touched her forehead.  
"I just bumped my head is all."  
  
In his car A.J. snickered. "Oh, this is fun." He muttered to himself.  
  
He had to try it again. He slowly reversed and then with a maniacal grin he  
  
surged forward ramming the stationary limousine again. Only this time he  
wasn't able to laugh about his victory. The force of his blow caused him to  
  
slam against the windshield. His body slumped over the steering wheel.  
  
Sonny was helping Carly back into her seat when A.J. hit the second time.  
Both went flying this time, Carly on the floor and Sonny against the door.  
  
"Damn it, Johnny! What is going on? Do something!" Sonny shouted as he made  
  
his way over to Carly. He ran his hands over her body. "Are you alright?"  
  
"I'm fine, really. What's happening Sonny?" She asked anxiously.  
  
Sonny could see the fear in her eyes but he didn't want to worry her. "It's  
  
probably nothing."  
  
But all Sonny could do was think of his enemies. This could be ambush by  
Sorel. He reached into his jacket for the gun he occasionally wore. Thank  
God, he thought to wear it today.  
  
"If it's nothing why are you bringing out a *gun*?" Carly's eyes widened at  
  
the sight of it. She didn't know Sonny even owned a gun, much less knew  
what to do with one.  
  
"Just in case it is something." He tossed out.  
  
"Uh-huh." She said disbelieving and then winced.  
  
Sonny immediately jumped on it. "What was that? I thought you said you were  
  
okay?"  
  
"It's just a cramp." She denied.  
  
"I need to get you out of here and to the hospital." He thought about what  
had to be done. This wasn't good. Johnny wasn't answering him. What could  
have happened? Sorel's men could be waiting for him outside the door. He  
didn't want to expose Carly and the baby to any danger but he had to get  
her out. He was jolted out his thoughts when someone knocked on the window.  
  
"Who do you think it is?" Carly whispered. She had picked up on Sonny's  
nervousness.  
  
"Shush." He said softly. "Look, I need to roll down the window for me. Try  
to stay as far back as you can, okay? And don't say a word. Can you do  
that?"  
  
Mutely, she nodded.  
  
"Good." Sonny cocked his gun then pointed at the window and nodded at Carly  
  
to let her know it was time to press the button.  
  
As the window slowly rolled down Carly became even more nervous. What on  
earth did Sonny Corinthos get her into? Was this the beginning of some mob  
war? Was she going to die simply because she carried Sonny's child? Oh,  
God, she silently prayed. I don't want to die. Don't let the baby and me  
die. Please.  
  
When the window had finally slid down Johnny stuck his head in. "Boss?"  
  
Carly sat back in relief but Sonny exploded. "Damn it, Johnny! I could have  
  
shot your ******* head off! What were you thinking? Why didn't you answer  
me? What the hell is going on out there?"  
  
"I'm sorry, sir. The limo was hit—"  
  
"I know that! By who?"  
  
"A.J. Quartermaine hit us. I got out to see what happened and that's why I  
didn't hear you call."  
  
"A.J.?" Sonny repeated in disbelief.  
  
"I just checked his car, he's passed out over the steering wheel. He's  
barely alive. He smells like winery." Johnny frowned.  
  
"That SOB got drunk and then tried to run us down?" Sonny's eyes hardened.  
"He could have killed Carly."  
  
"I know." Johnny frowned. The first thing he wanted to do when he found out  
  
it was A.J. was rip the drunk apart but he knew he had to report to Sonny  
first.  
  
"You said he was out cold?"  
  
"Yeah, looks like he hit his head." Johnny nodded.  
  
"Then let's go wake him up." Sonny said. He started to get out of the limo  
but Carly's soft whimper stopped him.  
  
"Sonny…"  
  
"I'll be right back." He promised her and stepped out to survey the damage.  
  
He swore softly. The backend of the limo was crunched up, as was the front  
of A.J.'s car. Sonny tucked the gun into his waistband then placed his  
hands on his hips and looked at Johnny. "Call for another car, I need to  
get Carly to the hospital."  
  
"Is she okay?" Johnny immediately asked.  
  
"Yes." Sonny snapped, aggravated at Johnny's show of concern. "She said all  
  
did was hit her head."  
  
"Sonny!" Carly's frantic call floated out of the limo. She continued to  
call his name louder and louder as she became more hysterical. "Sonny!  
Sonny! *SONNY*!"  
  
Sonny and Johnny rushed back over to the limo. Sonny yanked open the door  
and ducked in. He gasped. Carly was staring down at her blood-covered  
hands, her skirt was soaked in blood and tears streamed down her face. She  
opened her mouth to scream again but Sonny quickly kneeled beside her.  
  
He swallowed her and took her hands in his. He forced himself to stay calm.  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"I…I did it again, Sonny, I did it again."  
  
The terror in her voice broke his heart. He softly stroked her hair. "It'll  
  
be okay, trust me. Let's get you out of here." He scooped up her up in his  
arms and carried her out. "Johnny! We need to get her to a hospital fast."  
  
Johnny gulped. "I'll call an ambulance."  
  
"No!" Sonny whispered harshly. He wasn't sure how much time they had.  
"It'll take too long."  
  
"The limo isn't going anywhere." Johnny apologized regretfully.  
  
"Look." Sonny broke off when a passing car slowed down. The driver stuck  
his head out the window. "You guys okay? Need any help?"  
  
"As a matter of fact." Sonny nodded towards Johnny who whipped out his gun  
and pointed it at the driver. "We need your car."  
  
"W-what?" The driver stammered. Great, just his luck for being a Good  
Samaritan. His wife always said it was going to get him trouble one day.  
  
"Slide over, let Johnny drive." Sonny ordered as he carried Carly to the  
backseat.  
  
"What about Quatermaine?" Johnny looked back at the damaged car.  
  
"Leave him." Sonny settled himself and Carly in the back. "Now drive!"  
  
"Yes, sir." Johnny pushed aside the frightened driver who sat frozen and  
took control of the car.  
  
As he sped away Carly whispered to Sonny. "Nothing's going to happen to the  
  
baby, right?"  
  
"No, I won't let it." He said automatically. "I promise."  
  
"Good." She murmured as she slowly closed her eyes.  
  
"No, no, Carly, don't go to sleep on me. That's not a good thing to do." He  
  
jostled her, trying to wake her up but her eyes remained closed. "Come on,  
Carly, wake up sweetheart. *Wake up*!"  
  
  



	4. Chapter 4

Amy Vining followed behind Bobbie as she recited the latest gossip. Bobbie  
only listened with half an ear as they made their way out of the emergency  
room. She wasn't interested in hearing which doctor was having an affair  
with which nurse. Unfortunately for her the hospital was unbelievably quiet  
  
so there was nothing needing her immediate attention or Amy's. The only  
emergency they had all night was when a toddler came in with a marble stuck  
  
up his nose. The lack of activity was giving Bobbie an eerie feeling, which  
  
she tried to shake off.  
  
Bobbie finally thought up an excuse to get out of Amy's clutches. "Amy, I  
really should call Carly and see how today went."  
  
Amy continued to yammer on without noticing that Bobbie had spoken. "So  
Doctor Smith came out of the supply closet two minutes after Nurse James  
and they seriously thought no one would put two and two together but I  
di—what did you just say? Carly's back in town? Wow! How long has she been  
here? What happened today? Are the Quartermaines going to have her  
arrested? Have you seen A.J. lately?"  
  
Bobbie was just about to put a stop to Amy's questions when the doors were  
suddenly kicked open. Sonny strode in carrying a limp Carly. Johnny  
followed behind him, pausing once to thrust a handful of bills to a small  
man who cowered behind them. The man grabbed the money and ran.  
  
"Oh my God!" Bobbie covered her mouth with her hands. Her heart stopped as  
she remembered the night Michael was born. Jason brought Carly in this same  
  
way. Not again, Bobbie thought, not again. She pulled herself together.  
They saved Michael that night; they were going to save this baby too.  
  
"Whoa." Amy whispered. She too was taken aback by the sight. She recovered  
from her shock and got a team together to help.  
  
Sonny spotted Bobbie. His eyes were wild with fear as he spoke. "Bobbie!  
You have to help her. She passed out on the way here and she won't stop  
bleeding. She won't stop!"  
  
"Calm down, Sonny," Bobbie began soothingly. "Put her on the stretcher and  
tell me exactly what happened."  
  
"You have to stop the bleeding and save our baby, save *Carly*." Sonny  
pleaded, still clutching Carly close to him.  
  
Bobbie forced herself to view Carly as just a patient and not as her  
daughter slowly bleeding to death. She placed her hands on Sonny's and  
stared into his eyes. Her fear was reflected in his eyes. "Put her down."  
  
Sonny nodded as if he finally realized that Bobbie was speaking to him. He  
was slowly coming out of his daze. He placed Carly on the stretcher and  
watched helplessly as she was quickly wheeled away from him. Bobbie turned  
his attention back to her. "Tell me exactly what happened."  
  
"A.J." Sonny spat out. "You might want to send an ambulance out to 3rd and  
Main. That's where we left him."  
  
"Oh God, what did he do?"  
  
"He ran into us twice, purposely." The emotion is his eyes went from fear  
to hatred. The look sent a shiver down her spine. "The bastard almost  
killed her and himself. He's passed out in his car."  
  
Bobbie relayed the information to a wide-eyed Amy who was already to  
listening in. Amy nodded and went to get ambulance for A.J.  
  
Sonny ran his hands through his hair. "There's was so much blood, Bobbie,  
oh God. You should have seen the blood and the look on her face."  
  
Bobbie glanced down and gasped. "Sonny, your shirt…"  
  
He looked down also. His shirt was soaked through with Carly's blood. He  
said grimly. "The bleeding wouldn't stop. Bobbie, is she going to be okay?"  
  
"I…I don't know." Bobbie answered truthfully.  
  
Sonny clenched his jaw and stared down the hallway that Carly disappeared  
down. Thoughts of lost and revenge "She's has to be."  
  
Bobbie sighed. "Let's move out of the way and sit down. We probably won't  
know anything for awhile."  
  
~*~  
Sonny was sitting next to Johnny with his head in his hands. Both men  
looked dead tired. Sonny had undone his shirt and let it hang loose  
revealing the white tank he wore underneath. His hair stuck up in odd  
angles from his running hands through. Johnny had discarded his tie and  
jacket and sat with his hands folded watching as nurses and doctors went  
by. He had left briefly to send someone out to pick up the limousine.  
Neither man said a word to the other. Suddenly the doors flew open and A.J.  
  
was wheeled in. They both watched with narrowed eyes as he went by.  
  
"I was hoping they wouldn't find him." Sonny muttered.  
  
"Me too." Johnny said, finally speaking for the first time since they  
entered the hospital. Sonny hadn't noticed; he was too busy thinking about  
Carly. "He doesn't deserve to live."  
  
Sonny nodded in agreement. He looked around for Bobbie. She had been  
sitting with them until a few minutes ago when she decided to go see if she  
  
could find any information about Carly. "Where the hell is Bobbie?"  
  
He grabbed the arm of a passing nurse. "I need to know what's going on with  
  
Carly…" He wasn't sure what name she was admitted under. "Carly  
Quartermaine?"  
  
The nurse shook her head. "I'm sorry sir but I can't give out that kind of  
information. Family members only. "  
  
"But I'm—" *Only the father of her child*, Sonny thought bitterly. He  
shoved his hand through his hair in agitation. "Look, I brought her in."  
  
"I still can't release the information." The nurse smiled apologetically  
and hurried away.  
  
Johnny sighed and got up. "Where are you going?" Sonny demanded.  
  
"The hospital chapel. Sitting here isn't doing anything. Want to come?"  
Johnny offered.  
  
Sonny took one last look down the hallway. Johnny was right. Sitting there  
wasn't helping his nerves. He got up and followed the bodyguard. Once there  
  
he wasn't sure what to do. Johnny crossed himself, kneeled down and began  
to pray. Sonny watched him for a few minutes before sitting in the pew  
behind him.  
  
He rested his arms against his legs and stared ahead. How did this happen?  
She'd been happy today after the signing. Look at what happened to what she  
  
claimed to be the best day of her life. An attack from Monica Quartermaine  
and now she was in an emergency room fighting for her life and the life of  
their baby. He groaned and buried his face in his hands.  
  
He was supposed to protect her and the baby from A.J. That was all she  
wanted from him and he couldn't even do that right. He thought back to all  
the times he boasted that A.J. was no longer a threat. He should have  
known. He should have known that A.J. would be stupid enough, desperate  
enough to try anything. He should have known! He banged his hand down on  
the pew jolting Johnny from his prayers. He should have been able to  
protect them better.  
  
He promised her over and over again that he would take care of their baby.  
Their last words to each other had been just that.  
  
As he sped away Carly whispered to Sonny. "Nothing's going to happen to the  
  
baby, right?"  
  
"No, I won't let it." He said automatically. "I promise."  
  
"Good." She murmured as she slowly closed her eyes.  
  
And now it turned out that what he said was a lie. He reached down and  
touched his shirt where the blood had dried. He fingered the stiff material  
  
and shook his head. He couldn't stop the blood. He couldn't help them.  
  
He couldn't lose them again. He couldn't take another one of his children  
dying because he underestimated the danger they were in. Something that he  
was supposed to take care of. It was all his fault.  
  
"Take care of them for me. Please." He whispered aloud.  
  
The sound of footsteps broke the answering silence. He wiped his eyes and  
turned to see Bobbie rushing toward him. He rose slowly, taking in her red  
eyes. She stopped short and he noticed red eyes and the regretful  
expression on her face.  
  
"Sonny…"  
  
He rubbed his chest to try and soothe the sudden pain that shot through  
him. He already knew what she was going to say but he still had to hear it.  
  
His voice was raspy as he said. "Is Carly…the baby?"  
  
Bobbie shook her head. "I'm so sorry, Sonny. The baby…the baby didn't make  
it."  
  
Though he knew it was coming he was still shocked by the words. He dropped  
back down into the pew. Johnny placed a supporting hand on his shoulder.  
Sonny closed his eyes and said. "Carly's okay though?"  
  
"She'll be fine."  
  
"Does she know?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"What was it?" He asked desperately. "Did they know what it was?"  
  
"Sonny, don't do this to yourself." Bobbie said sadly.  
  
"What was it?" He demanded.  
  
"It was a girl." She said softly.  
  
A girl, up until then he hadn't realized that he was hoping for a girl. He  
rubbed his chest again as another sharp went through him.  
  
"What do I do now?" He asked no one in particular but Bobbie answered him.  
  
"Go to her. You two should be together right now." Bobbie urged him. "Don't  
  
go through this alone."  
  
~*~*~  
Sonny stopped just inside the door. Carly was laid out in the middle of the  
  
bed sleeping. The once noticeable bulge of her stomach was gone. He had to  
brace himself against the doorframe. Gone, just like that.  
  
He slowly made his way to the bed and sat down into the chair next to it.  
He sighed heavily and stared at her for a few minutes. He started to reach  
out to touch her but caught himself. She would probably wake up if he did  
and he was having a tough enough time dealing with it as it was. If he saw  
the blame in her eyes that he knew was there he wouldn't be able to do  
this. He folded his hands together as if he was going to pray.  
  
"I'm so sorry, sweetheart." He mumbled. He forced himself to blink back the  
  
tears he felt coming. "I didn't do as I promised. This wasn't supposed to  
happen."  
  
He took a deep steadying breath. "A.J. was supposed to be neutralized and  
he wasn't. I failed you and our baby. I couldn't take care of one lousy  
drunk. Because of that *I* killed our child."  
  
He stared down at the floor and swallowed hard. "You were right about  
everything. I should have come up with another way. A way so that you  
wouldn't have had to come back for the divorce. If I had only thought  
things through you could still be walking on the beach, carrying our baby."  
  
The overwhelming emotion took over and he hunched over in his seat,  
covering his eyes with his hands. Carly let out a soft moan and changed  
sleeping positions. He quickly looked up. "Carly?"  
  
She opened her eyes and stared up at the ceiling. It took her a few minutes  
  
to remember what had happened and where she was. The baby! She frowned and  
glanced at Sonny. "What are you doing here?"  
  
Sonny sat back at the coldness in her tone. "I came to see you—"  
  
"Why? Your obligation to me is over." Carly looked away from him. "If  
you're here to start in on the blame game can it wait until tomorrow? I  
can't…I can't do this tonight."  
  
Sonny was confused. "What are you talking about? I'm not here to blame you  
for anything."  
  
"Right." She yawned loudly. "Since you're not here to blame me, could you  
go?"  
  
"Carly." He reached out to touch her hand but she flinched. He nodded.  
"Alright…if you want me to go, I'll go."  
  
She turned on her side and stared at the wall. "I'm tired."  
  
Sonny slowly walked over to the door. He paused at the door and turned to  
look back at her. She had curled up and was pointedly ignoring him. He  
tried to say the words 'I'm sorry' out loud but found he couldn't do it.  
  
Carly waited until he had closed the door behind him before letting the  
tears fall slip out. "Oh God…"  
  
~*~  
Sonny walked aimlessly down the hall. He didn't understand why Carly  
rejected him so coldly. Just then a tearful Monica emerged from a room a  
few feet from him. She didn't notice him as she rushed out. He narrowed his  
  
eyes. That had to be A.J.'s room.  
  
His stride was purposeful as he made his way over to the room. He walked in  
  
and found A.J. sitting up in bed wearing a neck brace and a cast on one  
hand. His eyes widened in fear when he saw Sonny. He stammered out.  
"S-Sonny!"  
  
"I see you're still breathing." Sonny said calmly and walked closer to the  
bed.  
  
A.J. glanced at the call button and wondered if he could reach it in time.  
"Uh…I want to apologize…"  
  
"Apologize?" Sonny lifted his eyebrow. "You want to *apologize* for killing  
  
my daughter and almost killing Carly?"  
  
"Uh, yeah." A.J. said nervously.  
  
"You bastard." Sonny spit out. "I could kill you right now and no one would  
  
care. A life for a life, you know."  
  
A.J.'s eyes darted around the room. He started to reach for the button with  
  
his good hand but Sonny was quicker. He grabbed A.J.'s wrist and shook his  
head. "Uh-uh."  
  
Casually and without warning he bent A.J.'s arm back, breaking it. A.J.'s  
howls of pain were muffled when Sonny pulled the pillow out from under him  
and began to smother him with it.  
  
"What are you doing!" The shocked voice of the nurse echoed through the  
room.  
  
"Settling the score." Sonny said as he continued to hold down the pillow  
over A.J.'s mouth. A.J. thrashed wildly beneath him.  
  
"Get off of him!" The nurse shouted. She stuck her head out the door and  
said. "I need security in here. Now!"  
  
Then she ran over and tried to pull Sonny away. "Let him go."  
  
Sonny reluctantly lifted the pillow up. This wasn't right, he thought to  
himself. It was too sloppy. A.J. collapsed on the bed and gulped for air.  
"I'm going to have you arrested." He managed to get out between breaths.  
  
Sonny backed up unsteadily. He dropped the pillow on the floor. "Try it.  
I'll make sure we'll share a cell."  
  
A.J. looked at the nurse. "Get my parents in here and make sure that that  
man doesn't leave this hospital. You're going to jail!"  
  
Sonny laughed without humor. "Next time, there won't be any witnesses." He  
glanced at the nurse and pulled out his wallet. He counted out a few  
hundred-dollar bills and offered them to her. "You didn't see anything  
right?"  
  
The young nurse looked at the money and bit her lip. If she hadn't gotten  
in here this man would have killed him. Taking money from him to cover up  
this would be wrong. But on the other hand this was Sonny Corinthos. She'd  
heard about him. Not telling anyone what she saw would probably be a good  
idea. And she still had all those school loans to pay off…  
  
Sonny added a few more bills to the pile. "Is this enough?"  
  
"You can't bribe her." A.J. cried.  
  
But the nurse grabbed the money. She avoided making eye contact with A.J.  
or Sonny as she said. "You should leave with me."  
  
Sonny grinned evilly at A.J. "See you around, Junior."  
  
~*~*~  
Two days later Bobbie walked into Carly's hospital room carrying flowers.  
"These are from Johnny." She said cheerfully. "Where should we put them?"  
  
"In the garbage. I don't care." Carly muttered.  
  
"Carly." Bobbie placed the flowers on the stand and came to sit next to the  
  
bed. She went to take Carly's hand but she snatched it away. "Honey, I  
don't like seeing you like this."  
  
"Well get used to it. You can't just expect me to wake up and be all happy  
and cheerful about the fact that I killed my baby!" She suddenly exploded.  
  
"Honey, no one is expecting you to act like that." Bobbie reached out and  
pushed the hair back from her forehead. This time Carly let her touch her.  
"And you didn't kill your baby. It was an accident."  
  
Carly closed her eyes. "I know the truth. This is God's punishment for me.  
Michael almost died but somehow he was saved. This baby wasn't as lucky."  
  
"Don't say that!" Bobbie admonished her. "You are the last person I thought  
  
would blame God for something like this."  
  
"I'm not blaming Him, I'm blaming me. This is my fault. I'm not supposed to  
  
have children." Carly sat up and stared into Bobbie's eyes. "This isn't the  
  
first baby I've killed, Mom."  
  
"Oh, Carly…" Tears came to Bobbie's eyes. "Honey, don't talk like this."  
  
"When I was a teenager, I was a little on the wild side." Carly laughed  
softly. "Yeah, I know, shocking. Well I was a little too wild one night and  
  
ended up pregnant. I was a kid, I was afraid, I was stupid, and I let my  
boyfriend talk me into getting an abortion. It had to be one of the worst  
experiences of my life. I was in this little crappy room, sitting on a  
metal cot, my loser boyfriend waited outside smoking and the doctor was  
this disgusting old man who spent half the time lecturing me and the other  
half leering at me. I was miserable and I made a deal with God, I asked him  
  
to make sure I never got pregnant again. I think God has a pretty good  
sense of humor. He lets me get pregnant to remind me of when I was so young  
  
and then he takes them back."  
  
"Honey, you were just a kid." Bobbie gripped her hand tightly in hers. "You  
  
didn't know what you were talking about. God wouldn't do something like  
that. And you didn't lose Michael, remember? He's healthy, he's here. He's  
waiting for you at the Brownstone and he really misses you. Michael doesn't  
  
fit into your theory, sweetie."  
  
"That was because of Jason. Jason saved Michael and me that night. If he  
had been here, he would have saved this child too." Carly started to cry  
and Bobbie rose up to hug her.  
  
"Don't do this yourself. It was an accident. That's all it was. It wasn't  
God punishing you. It was just an accident."  
  
"No, no." Carly shook her head. "It was my fault. I lost my baby."  
  
Bobbie took a deep breath. "You can't blame yourself for this. You know  
what, you and Sonny should talk about this. He's probably having a hard  
time with this, just like you. You two should work this out together.  
You're getting released today. Go see him."  
  
Carly sniffled. "Why? I already know what to expect when I get there. He's  
probably wearing the same clothes he had on days ago, walking around, drink  
  
in hand, blaming the whole thing on himself."  
  
"That's all the more reason you should go. Blaming yourself isn't helping.  
You two have to talk. This is something you can't keep inside of you. I  
don't want you to keep hurting yourself like this."  
  
"I can't go to him. If he's not blaming himself then he's blaming me and I  
can't handle that right now." Carly shot a quick look at Bobbie. "And don't  
  
you go over there to talk to him. He wouldn't want you to see him like  
that. It's…not pretty. Don't go."  
  
"I can't just sit back and let this eat the two of you up." Bobbie ignored  
her plea. "If you don't do it, I will."  
  
Carly rolled her eyes. "Sometimes, you can be so infuriating."  
  
" I know honey." Bobbie gave her another hug. Before she pulled away she  
pressed a kiss to Carly's hair. "I promise that it will be alright. The  
pain will go away."  
  
"Say it enough times and I might believe you." Carly smiled weakly.  
  
  



	5. Chapter 5

Carly folded her arms and stared out the window. Behind her she could hear  
Lucas and Michael playing together in the living room. She'd been staying  
with Bobbie since she was released from the hospital. When she arrived she  
was surprised to see all her and Michael's things at the Brownstone.  
Leticia was there also and she informed her that Mr. Corinthos had ordered  
her to pack their things up and bring them over. Carly rolled her eyes. He  
probably needed the privacy to go crazy and trash the place. Can't lose  
control with a nanny and a toddler in tow.  
  
She sighed and brushed her hair out of her eyes. Maybe it was better this  
way. Maybe she and Sonny shouldn't see each other at all. The sight of him  
would only remind her of what she lost and that would just hurt too much.  
However Bobbie was still pushing for her to go to see him. Every morning  
she would start in on Carly and every night they would be the last words on  
  
her lips. It was so irritating and Carly knew Bobbie thought she would wear  
  
her down after awhile.  
  
"Carly, I'm home." Bobbie announced. She paused to drop a kiss on Lucas and  
  
Michael before coming over to Carly. "How are you today?"  
  
"I'm fine, Mom." Carly rolled her eyes. "You ask me that everyday. Let me  
just let you know, the answers going to be the same tomorrow, the day after  
  
tomorrow, and a week from tomorrow."  
  
Bobbie pushed past her snarky remark. She was used to Carly's bad mood.  
The only one Carly opened up to was Michael. "So…"  
  
"I should go see Sonny, yadda yadda yadda. I already know what you were  
going to say." Carly brushed past her and walked out of the room. Bobbie  
followed behind.  
  
"That's not what I was going to say. However…"  
  
"You know what. Fine!" Carly threw her hands up in the air. "You want me to  
  
go see Sonny? All right I will. I'll stop by later. We'll fight for a few  
minutes, I'll come back and you'll be happy? Is that all?"  
  
"Actually, I was just going to tell you that A.J. was released today."  
Bobbie folded her arms.  
  
At the mention of A.J.'s name Carly froze up. She forced herself to strike  
a nonchalant pose. "And I care because?"  
  
Bobbie studied Carly closely. "I just wanted to let you know just in case."  
  
"Knowing he was somewhere out there didn't help before." Carly said  
quietly. "Shouldn't he be in jail. I distinctly remember pressing charges  
and if Sonny was able to drag himself out of his drunken stupor I bet he  
did too."  
  
"About that…" Bobbie licked her lips and hesitated.  
  
Carly whirled around. "What happened?"  
  
"Honey, you know how much power the Quartermaines wield in this town…"  
  
"What happened!" Carly screeched.  
  
"Shush. Keep your voice down." Bobbie hushed her.  
  
Lucas ran into the room. "What's going on?"  
  
"Nothing sweetie, go back to Michael, he's too little to be by himself."  
Bobbie told him. She laid her hand on Carly's arm. "A.J. basically got a  
slap on the wrist."  
  
"That's all?" Carly's eyes widened. "That slime deliberately ran into me  
and Sonny and he *walked*?"  
  
"It's unfair, I know," Bobbie began.  
  
"Unfair, it's f****** wrong!" Carly roared, this time a little lower. She  
started pacing back and forth. "Does Sonny know?"  
  
Bobbie shrugged. "I don't know. I haven't seen him since the night of the  
accident. No one has."  
  
"I told you he's locked up in that damn penthouse feeling sorry for  
himself."  
  
"And you're feeling sorry for yourself." Bobbie pointed out. "Hmm, I wonder  
  
what's wrong with this picture."  
  
"Don't be a smart aleck." Carly shot back. "It's not attractive on you."  
  
"I'm just saying—"  
  
"I know what you're saying." Carly interrupted. "You think one measly  
little talk with Sonny is going to cure me and I'll forget all about *her*.  
  
And what I did."  
  
"It's not supposed to cure and you shouldn't forget. It's going to help.  
It's going to get you started. Trust me." Bobbie vowed. "See him today,  
tell him about A.J. and start a dialogue. This will be good for you two."  
  
"So you say." Carly chewed her lip doubtfully.  
  
~*~*~  
Carly stepped off the elevator and walked over to the penthouse. She smiled  
  
at Johnny who was on duty as usual. He smiled back. "How you feeling, Miss  
Benson?"  
  
"Carly." She corrected out of force of habit. She patted his cheek. "I'm  
not a hundred percent better. Hell, I'm not even twenty percent but I know  
it's going to take some time. Is Sonny in?"  
  
"He hasn't left the penthouse at all." Johnny whispered in concern. "He's  
not dealing with this well."  
  
"Who is? I'm going in." Carly started to open the door but stopped her.  
  
"Maybe that isn't such a good idea." Johnny said.  
  
"Don't worry, I know how to handle him when he gets like this." Carly  
swore. "But thanks for looking out for me."  
  
She slowly opened the door and walked inside. As she looked around the  
darkened destroyed room she felt her heart break. She had been expecting it  
  
and she'd seen it before but the devastating impact was still the same. "Oh  
  
Sonny…" She murmured.  
  
"What is it?" His voice came from the couch.  
  
He was stretched out on his back, one hand clutching a bottle of liquor and  
  
his bloody shirt in the other. She took in the fact that he didn't look as  
bad as she'd expected. He was wearing the same clothes and it was obvious  
that he hadn't had a bath. But his eyes didn't have that wild out of  
control look he had last time and for that she breathed a little easier.  
She wouldn't have to be scared of what he might say or do this time.  
  
"I knew you'd do this. I knew you'd get back on that self-destructive  
track." Carly said as she stepped through the mess and came over to the  
couch. She sat down on the coffee table and dropped her purse on the  
floor. "You want something to eat? I was hoping I wouldn't have to make  
cleaning up after your breakdowns a habit but you just can't help yourself,  
  
huh?"  
  
"You'll be proud of me then." He sat up with a loud groan. He passed the  
bottle to Carly who placed it on the floor and he balled the shirt up in  
his lap.  
  
He rubbed his face over his hands and groaned again. "I was starting  
to…come out of it I guess you could say before you showed up. The alcohol  
was just so I could sleep with out having to see your face back in the  
limo… And most of this was just my frustration about the situation."  
  
Carly ignored his comment about her and curled her feet up under her. "So I  
  
guess you heard about A.J. then?"  
  
"A.J.? No, I haven't gone out. You know a sandwich would be good right  
about now." He stood up and started to walk around.  
  
"Get it yourself," Carly snapped. "This isn't like last time, this isn't  
about just your pain. I have pain too. I'm not going to act like your  
nursemaid. You're not desperate, you don't need my help."  
  
Sonny gave her an odd look and rubbed the back on his neck. "Okay. I'll get  
  
my own. What were you saying about A.J.?"  
  
"He's free." Carly spat out.  
  
"He's free?" Sonny repeated.  
  
"Yeah, he got off scott free. It's really all about who you know." Carly  
scowled.  
  
Sonny scowled also. "Damn it. Don't worry, I'll—"He started to say he'll  
take care of it but fortunately caught himself. He remembered the last time  
  
he was supposed to 'take care of it' and look what happened that time. "So  
that's why you came over?"  
  
"That and Bobbie has this *wonderful* idea that we should deal with…things  
together." Carly said sarcastically.  
  
Sonny walked back over to the couch and sat in front of her. He nodded  
slowly. "She's right."  
  
"This is Bobbie we're talking about here." Carly pointed out. "And you need  
  
a bath."  
  
He grimaced. She was right but that wasn't the point. "During one of my few  
  
lucid moments I realized that I can't do this alone again. I can't."  
  
"And my talking to you is supposed to help." Carly said skeptically. She  
started to rise from the coffee table but Sonny grabbed her arm and forced  
her back down. "Hey!"  
  
"Sit down. We need to talk about this. My way of dealing and I bet your way  
  
of dealing isn't cutting it. We need to hash it out."  
  
"I don't want to talk about it. Talking about it just makes it hurt even  
more and I can't take anymore." Carly's voice broke.  
  
Sonny rubbed his chest. "That's why we have to talk about this."  
  
"And what happens after that? Am I supposed to forget about her?"  
  
"No, it's just a way to get rid of the pain." Sonny closed his eyes.  
"That's all I want, don't you want the same thing?"  
  
Carly stared down at the floor. She mumbled. "I want the same thing. So  
what do we do now?"  
  
"We go to the island." Sonny said surprising her.  
  
Her head snapped up. "What? Why?"  
  
"I can't stay here in Port Charles. Can you?" He gave her a deep probing  
look.  
  
"But…" On the island she'd been happy, she and the baby. "No, uh-uh, not  
the island. Why do we have to go away?"  
  
"Carly…" He ran his hand through his hair. "A little talk this afternoon  
isn't going to help. We need a lot of time together without any  
distractions."  
  
"But the island?" Carly protested weakly.  
  
"Look, it'll be just for a few days."  
  
Carly reluctantly gave in. "When do you want to leave?"  
  
"I can have the plane ready by tonight."  
  
"Tonight?" Carly frowned. "That doesn't give me enough time to get Michael  
packed up."  
  
"No Michael." Sonny said. "Michael's not coming with us and neither is  
Johnny or any of the other guards."  
  
Carly sat back. "I don't think I like this. A.J. is still out there."  
  
"It'll be better if Michael stays with Bobbie. We need to focus on each  
other. Look, I'll double his guard if it'll make you feel better." Sonny  
held his breath. He knew he was in no position to promise her anytime after  
  
failing her.  
  
Carly sighed and rubbed her temples. The sooner they leave; they could come  
  
back and never have to see each other again. "All right, all right. Just  
take a shower, man."  
  
He shook his head. "Come on, I'll walk you out."  
  
Carly climbed off the coffee table and picked up her glass. "Watch your  
step, there's glass over there."  
  
Sonny opened the door and Johnny turned around expectantly. He passed by  
him and went to the elevator. "How'd you get here?"  
  
"Took a cab. I'll get one downstairs."  
  
"No, go to the garage, tell the guys I said you could take the car."  
  
"But—" She started to protest but he cut her off. "Just do it."  
  
She sighed and got in the waiting elevator. Sonny waited until the doors  
had closed before speaking to Johnny. "Find out where A.J. is. And I need  
someone in here to clean up. Also get the plane ready to go tonight."  
  
"Going somewhere boss?" Johnny asked.  
  
Sonny stopped at the door and gave Johnny a long look. "Yeah, Carly and I  
are going to Vieques. Alone."  
  
Johnny stared at Sonny curiously as he made his way into the penthouse. He  
wasn't sure what to make of the remark but he could tell that it was loaded  
  
with a meaning that only Sonny understood.  
  
~*~*~  
"So how did it go?" Bobbie pounced on Carly as soon as she came into the  
door.  
  
"I have to pack. Sonny and I are going away." Carly muttered. She stalked  
into her room.  
  
"What?" Bobbie followed. "I said just talk to the man not go away with  
him."  
  
"Yeah well this is the way he wants to talk. Me, him, alone on a island."  
Carly smirked. "Doesn't that sound great? We were barely able to keep from  
killing each other before now that I'm not…this is going to be a disaster."  
  
"Then maybe you shouldn't go with him." Bobbie reasoned.  
  
"Make up your mind!" Carly stomped over to the closet and dragged out her  
suitcase. "First you're all gung-ho about me and him talking and we when  
finally do you change your mind."  
  
"Honey I didn't mean it in that way. Are you sure this is a good idea?"  
  
"If you think about it, it makes sense. The best way for us to deal with it  
  
is to be locked in somewhere together. And it's either the island or the  
penthouse and the penthouse is too confining."  
  
"But," Bobbie sighed. "Okay, you need me to help with Michael's things?"  
  
"Actually Michael is staying here. It's just me and Sonny."  
  
"Carly, I can't take care of Michael." Bobbie protested.  
  
"That's what Leticia is for." Carly sat down on the bed. "Okay, here are  
the rules. No one is allowed to be alone with Michael. No one except you  
and Leticia."  
  
"I can't watch over Michael twenty-four hours a day."  
  
"Like I said that's what Leticia is for. And Sonny's sending over guards so  
  
that will control who gets in and out."  
  
"Carly I think you're going too far."  
  
"No, I'm doing what I have to do to protect my son. A.J. is out there, I  
don't know where so you bet your ass I'm going to make sure he can't close  
to Michael. So as I was saying no one gets in here. Especially the  
Quartermaines."  
  
"What about Lila or Emily? They wouldn't—"  
  
"They would in a heartbeat. Lila loves A.J. and Emily hates me enough to do  
  
anything for him. Don't even think about Monica either." Carly grabbed  
Bobbie's hands and looked into her eyes. "Promise me that none of them will  
  
get close to my son."  
  
"Carly, I can't keep Michael locked up like a prisoner."  
  
"This is just until I get back. Promise me, Bobbie. I don't care how sweet  
Lila or Emily are to you or how long you and Monica have been friends.  
Don't let them in."  
  
Bobbie could tell that Carly wasn't going to give in on this. "Alright, I  
won't let them in."  
  
"Thank you." Carly hugged her. "Thank you for keeping my son safe."  
  
~*~*~  
Carly and Sonny arrived on the island late that night. The first thing they  
  
did was go straight to bed. Carly graciously let Sonny claim the master  
bedroom without a fight. The next morning Carly rose early and went into  
town. Sonny was surprised to see her gone so early. He'd been hoping that  
they would talk that day.  
  
Carly spent most of the day in town doing what she loved, shopping. Sonny  
discovered the shopping bags in the living room later that day. He  
scratched the back of his head wondering where she could be. He glanced out  
  
the window and it finally came to him.  
  
Carly walked down the beach and hugged herself tightly. She remembered the  
last time she walked on this beach. She, Johnny, Michael, the baby… She  
took a deep breath. She hadn't thought being back would affect her so much.  
  
But it did. Just passing by the room caused a deep pain in her heart.  
That's why she ran into town first thing that morning. She couldn't stay  
there and wait for Sonny to jump on her.  
  
"Carly!" She turned around and saw Sonny coming out of the house.  
  
She waited from him to reach her. She murmured. "Hello."  
  
"How the hell are we supposed to get through this if you're avoiding me? I  
didn't bring you down here for that."  
  
"I needed some time…"  
  
"Are we going to talk or not?"  
  
Carly stood up straight and braced herself. "Alright, I'm ready. Let's go.  
Let's get into how it's all my fault. I know you've been saving up for one  
big rant."  
  
Sonny looked at her stunned. "What are you talking about? That's not what  
I'm thinking at all."  
  
  



	6. Chapter 6

Sonny ran his hands through his hair. "Carly, what I'm trying to say is  
that it's all my fault."  
  
Carly shook her head and laughed bitterly. "Forget it, Sonny. This time it  
was all me. I'm the poison. I'm the reason our baby died."  
  
"Carly," He began but she held up her hand cutting him off.  
  
"No, *I* married A.J. and had a *plan*. *I* changed my mind and decided to  
stick it out and then I changed my mind *again*. I thought that I could get  
out and get away with it. I thought I could get away with it all." She  
shivered and hugged herself. "But I couldn't."  
  
"If I hadn't been so cocky about A.J. the accident would have never  
happened." Sonny murmured. "I should have known he was up to something."  
  
"Hey, guess what, the world doesn't revolve around you." Carly shot off.  
"You can't control everything Sonny, no matter how hard you try. So quit  
the martyr act. It's old."  
  
"Try telling yourself the same thing." He snapped back. "Who's the bigger  
martyr around here? You or me, Carly?"  
  
Carly shook her head. "You don't understand."  
  
"That's right, I don't understand. That's why we're here. So we can  
understand each other so we can help each other. But you're not making it  
easy for either of us."  
  
"What I'm trying to do is—"  
  
"Avoid the topic." Sonny glared at her.  
  
"What you want to do is get through this as fast as you can so you can go  
back to your penthouse and forget that me or the baby ever existed. Right?"  
Carly snapped.  
  
"That is not what I want. But you obviously are going to come up with every  
excuse in the book so *you* won't have to deal with this."  
  
"I'll deal with it, in my own way. I can't do it if you're yelling at me  
and pushing me all the time."  
  
"Who's yelling?" He shouted.  
  
Carly silently lifted an eyebrow then turned and marched back towards the  
house. Sonny let her go. He groaned and squatted down in the sand.  
  
It was a start but not much of a start. At least they were talking and  
getting things out in the open. But at this rate it was going take months  
before they broke down and had a real conversation. One without either one  
storming off.  
  
Sonny dragged his hand through the sand, making mindless designs. He  
replayed the conversation in his mind. Maybe she had been right about him  
believing he was in control of everything. Maybe he did take too much  
responsibility too often. The idea that maybe he couldn't have changed  
things terrified him. It was easier to believe that it was his fault that  
he hadn't been ready for anything than to believe that he had no control  
over his life.  
  
But when he really thought about it certain questions haunted him.  
  
Was there any possible way I could have predicted what A.J. was planning?  
  
No, he admitted to himself. In truth no one could have known. Who would  
have thought that A.J. would get drunk and run into them?  
  
But could I have really changed things that night? He continued to question  
himself.  
  
Instead of taking Carly out to the Grille, should I have just taken her  
right back to the Penthouse?  
  
No, A.J. was obviously following them. He would have struck at any time.  
  
If I hadn't gotten out to check the damage could I have spotted the  
bleeding? He remembered the way she called his name and he ignored her. She  
was trying to tell him and he *ignored* her.  
  
***He started to get out of the limo but Carly's soft whimper stopped him.  
  
"Sonny…"  
  
"I'll be right back." He promised her...***  
  
If I had listened to her would our baby have had a chance? If I had gotten  
Carly to the hospital faster would our baby had lived? If I hadn't held  
onto her for so long and put her down when Bobbie told me to…  
  
Sonny thrust his hands into his hair, forgetting the sand covering them.  
All these questions were driving him crazy. They were making him think that  
maybe there was a possibility that the death of the baby was an accident  
that no one could have done a thing about. That it was just one of those  
things and some how he and Carly were going to have to gather the strength  
to move on. But how could they when Carly refused to talk about it other  
than to accept responsibility for it?  
  
~*~*~  
Damn Sonny, Carly thought to herself as she marched back and forth across  
her room. If anyone here was acting like a martyr it was him. She had a  
legitimate reason for believing it was all her fault. At least in her eyes  
it was. Screw what everyone else thinks. *She* knew the truth.  
  
Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all. She thought being on island  
and not cooped up with Sonny is his penthouse would be better but she was  
beginning to feel confined even here. It was only one day and already she  
was ready to leave. She couldn't stand it!  
  
Carly sighed. She knew what was really bothering her. The one thing she  
hadn't faced yet. She slowly made her way out of her room and down the  
hall, after making sure that Sonny was not around. She hesitated in front  
of the closed door. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and turned the  
knob.  
  
When she opened her eyes again she stared at the halfway finished nursery  
room. She choked on a sob and covered her mouth with her hand. She took  
small steps inside and turned around. There were the yellow curtains she  
put up.  
  
They were the first things she bought when she got to the island. She  
wanted to put her own stamp on the room something that said this is where  
my baby will sleep and she will be happy here. Carly lightly touched the  
curtain with one finger.  
  
Next she moved onto a white bassinet. She remembered when she and Johnny  
first stumbled across it in the market. It was old and ugly and Johnny  
thought it couldn't be saved but Carly knew, Carly could see beneath the  
mess to the beautiful bassinet waiting for her child. Johnny didn't want  
her to buy the old thing, told her they could get a brand new one from a  
store but Carly put her foot down. She had to have it. Johnny relented and  
spent several days sanding it down and painting it for her. Carly trailed  
her finger along it the railing. How many times did she dream of watching  
her baby sleep in this bed?  
  
Carly bit her lip to try and stop her tears. She glanced up at the shelf  
one of the guards had built for her. On it were four teddy bears, one from  
each of the guards. Carly allowed herself to smile at the memory of the day  
the big burly men came in carrying teddy bears for the baby. Carly knew it  
had to be Johnny's idea but she didn't let on. She didn't even ask where  
they got them. She just accepted them with a smile and told them the baby  
said thank you.  
  
She took one from off the shelf and sat down cross-legged on the floor. She  
stroked the glossy black fur and stared into the glassy eyes. She murmured.  
"My baby will never play with you…"  
  
She looked around the room. She had so many dreams and hopes. And now they  
were gone. They were all gone. And nothing could hurt more than that. She  
closed her eyes, cuddled the bear close to her heart and lay down on the  
floor. Soon she'd fallen asleep.  
  
~*~*~  
Loud noises woke Sonny up that night. After their encounter on the beach he  
didn't see Carly again. He figured she was doing the same thing as he was,  
which was avoiding her. It was successful. He went into town, had dinner,  
came back to the house and didn't see her once.  
  
He had spent most of the night tossing and turning thinking about the  
epiphany he had on the beach. Just when he finally started to drift off to  
sleep strange noises drifted into his room. What the hell was that?  
  
He groaned and got out of bed. He grabbed his robe and threw it on over his  
tank top and pajama bottoms. He went out into the hallway and looked  
around. He glanced in the direction of Carly's room but it was clear that  
the noises weren't coming from that way. He looked in the other direction.  
  
"Carly?"  
  
There was no answer. He tightened his robe around him and went in search of  
the noise. He came to one of the empty rooms that no one used. "Carly?"  
  
He pressed his ear to the door and the first thing he heard was crying and  
then a loud crash. He quickly opened the door. "Carly!"  
  
He was shocked at what he saw. It was a partially decorated nursery. In the  
middle of it tearing down what few decorations there were, was Carly. She  
was sobbing loudly, "I killed her, I killed her."  
  
She tore down the cheerful yellow curtains. She overturned the white  
bassinet. She turned around in a circle, her eyes wild as she looked at her  
destruction. Finally she collapsed in the middle of the floor, crying.  
  
"Carly, come on. Stop this. What are you doing?" Sonny knelt beside her and  
touched her gently on the shoulder. He turned her to him and gathered her  
close. She buried her face in his chest.  
  
"I killed our baby girl." She sobbed.  
  
"Shush." He murmured and softly stroked her hair. "Come on. It wasn't your  
fault and it wasn't mine. I realize that now. It was A.J.'s."  
  
"No, I don't want to hear that." She pushed away from him and shook her  
head. "A.J. attacked us because of me and what I did to him."  
  
"A.J. is responsible for his actions, not you or me. He knew what he was  
doing and he did it anyway."  
  
Carly got to her feet. "His actions were in response to what I did. Can't  
you see Sonny? It's my fault we lost the baby. *I* killed Angel."  
  
She ran from the room crying. Sonny started to follow but she dashed into  
her room and slammed the door behind her. He heard the click of the lock  
just as he got to the door. He slammed his hand on the door.  
  
"Damn it, Carly, open this door. Carly! Who is Angel?"  
  
~*~*~  
"Come on, Michael, Mommy will be home from her trip soon." Bobbie said  
soothingly to the toddler who was crying his head off for his mother. She  
hadn't realized how attached the child had become to Carly. Bobbie gritted  
her teeth and muttered under her breath. "I hope she comes back *real*  
soon."  
  
Bobbie checked her watch. She had to leave soon or she'd be late for her  
shift at the hospital. She was waiting for Leticia to get there. She'd  
already sent one of the guards to pick up Leticia but it was taking  
forever. Bobbie carried Michael over to the door with her. She stuck her  
head out to ask Johnny if Leticia was there yet.  
  
Standing on the steps fighting with Johnny was an angry Monica. "I demand  
that you step aside and let me into this house at once. My grandson is in  
there and no one, much less you is going to keep me from getting inside."  
  
Before she left Carly carefully explained her rules to him in case Bobbie  
decided to change her mind. Johnny growled at her. "I don't think so."  
  
"You aren't paid to think." She snapped back.  
  
"Monica, what are you doing here?" Bobbie frowned.  
  
"Finally." Monica said with relief. "Will you tell this idiot to move and  
let me in?"  
  
"I'm sorry, I can't do that." She shook her head. "You can't come in."  
  
"Bobbie, really, this is ridiculous." Monica said frustrated. "It isn't  
necessary."  
  
"It's Carly's wishes." Bobbie shrugged.  
  
Just then Leticia came rushing up the stairs. "I'm so sorry, I'm late. I  
didn't keep you waiting that long did I?" She took the crying child in her  
arms. He settled down quickly and Bobbie frowned at him. Leticia carried  
Michael into the house.  
  
Monica narrowed her eyes. "I can't believe you're actually doing what that  
tramp wants. All I want to do is see my grandson."  
  
"And *my* daughter doesn't want you to." Bobbie propped his hands on her  
hips.  
  
"That little slut has ruined my son, I won't let her destroy Michael also."  
Monica swore.  
  
Bobbie stared at her with wide eyes. "I can't believe what I'm hearing.  
Have you taken a good look at A.J. lately?"  
  
"Actually I can't because he's gone. He's disappeared and it's all that  
woman's fault."  
  
"The only person's fault it is, is A.J.'s." Bobbie told her. "He tried to  
kill my daughter and Sonny for goodness sake."  
  
"Carly pushed him to do that. She made him drink, she took away his son,  
and his self-respect." Monica ticked off Carly's list of sins. "She has  
been a destructive force in his life from day one."  
  
Bobbie gaped at her. Her mouth opened and closed several times before she  
was able to say what she needed to say.  
  
"You are unbelievable Monica. A.J…anything that happened to him, he brought  
upon himself. Did Carly force the alcohol down his throat? No. She didn't  
make him into an alcoholic. You know who did? You, you and your twisted  
family. Is there any wonder why one of your sons is a brain damaged  
mobster, the other a whining alcoholic, and your daughter is a former drug  
addict? Don't ever say another word about my daughter again because none of  
your kids are any real prizes."  
  
"Monica, take a step back and look at what your family really is. It's  
poison and I'm thankful that my daughter got her son and herself out of its  
clutches. I don't care what she had to do to get out of it, I'm just glad  
she did. From the little that Carly told me, A.J. probably thought your  
sick marriage with Alan was what love was should be."  
  
"Alan and I are not sick." Monica managed to stammer out.  
  
"You cheat on each other and didn't Alan once try to kill you? There's no  
doubt in my mind that A.J. tried to use the same tactics on Carly. Only  
they weren't in love with each other." Bobbie took a deep breath and tried  
to calm down. "Look, I'm…I'm on edge because Michael's been really cranky  
lately."  
  
"That's because he misses his family, the Quartermaines." Monica couldn't  
resist saying.  
  
Bobbie shook her head. "He misses his mother. Monica, I don't care how long  
we've been friends but don't come back here again. Not until Carly says  
it's okay for you to see him."  
  
~*~*~  
The morning after, Carly tried her best to slink out of the house and into  
town. She felt foolish for letting her guard down in front of Sonny. She  
can't believe she mentioned Angel to him! Carly was halfway out of the door  
when Sonny caught her. He grabbed her by the arm and jerked her back  
inside.  
  
"You and I are going to talk and finish this." Sonny ordered her as he  
marched them into the living room. He sat her down on the couch and sat  
across from her. He stared in to her eyes. "A.J., as much as it pains me to  
say this, is a grown man."  
  
"I really don't see why we need to even bother—" Carly started to stand up  
but Sonny barked out. "Sit down!"  
  
"You know, how are we supposed to talk things out when you keep yelling at  
me?" She muttered as she sat back down.  
  
"We can't if you keep running from me and avoiding the subject." He told  
her. "Like I said, A.J. is a grown man. Yeah, you did horrible things to  
him but you didn't do it on purpose. You didn't try to hurt him."  
  
"Laundry cart." She muttered.  
  
He ran his hand through his hair. "You know what I mean. I don't agree with  
your tactics but everything you did, you did out of love for Michael and to  
protect him and yourself. A.J. attacked us because he's petty and he wanted  
revenge. He's at fault here, not you and not me."  
  
Carly stared silently at the floor. Deep inside of her she wanted to  
believe it. She knew believing it would make the hurt go away but… She  
dropped her hand to her stomach. It was an unconscious move. Something she  
did often to soothe herself and the baby. But now there was no baby. A lone  
tear trickled down her cheek.  
  
Sonny sucked in a breath. "Carly…"  
  
She shook her head and wiped away the tear. "No, don't. I know she's gone  
but I still forget sometimes. I used to like to rub my stomach, you know?  
It made me feel better."  
  
"Last night, in the nursery…"  
  
"I'm sorry for that." She hurried to say. "I shouldn't have done that. I  
fell asleep and when I woke up it all just came rushing back to me. I  
couldn't stand it. I'll clean up the mess."  
  
"Don't worry about it. I did it last night." He assured her. He took a deep  
breath. "Carly, who's Angel?"  
  
This time it was Carly's turn to suck in a breath. "I was hoping you'd  
forget I said that."  
  
"Who was she?"  
  
"The doctor down here told me the baby was a girl. When I heard I began  
decorating the room for a girl. I wasn't sure how long I'd be down here but  
I figured our little girl needed her own room." She hesitated.  
  
"Angel, Carly…" He urged her on.  
  
"I thought about naming her Angel." She said softly. "It was an idea that I  
kicked around for awhile. I started referring to her as Angel a lot. Mostly  
in my head and not out loud."  
  
"You never mentioned it to Johnny?" He said harshly, unaware of the way he  
sounded.  
  
Carly narrowed her eyes, slightly confused by his meaning. "No."  
  
Sonny sat back and slowly smiled. "Angel Corinthos has a nice ring to it."  
  
"You think so? That's what I thought also." She admitted. She curled her  
legs up under her. "I thought Angel would be good. I wanted her to be  
everything I wasn't, everything I couldn't be. Perfect and beautiful and  
stuff."  
  
"It would have been ironic though." He murmured.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"We have to be two of the biggest sinners in Port Charles…an angel being  
born from two sinners?" He lifted an eyebrow.  
  
She shrugged. "I never thought about that but you make a good point. But in  
my mind it fit, you know what I mean?" He nodded silently. "Did you…did you  
ever think what she would look like?"  
  
"Actually, I didn't give it much thought. All I wanted was a healthy baby."  
  
"I was thinking maybe a mini version of me." She said. "Michael looks so  
much like Bobbie, I was hoping Angel would resemble me, at least a little."  
  
Sonny smiled at the thought of a little Carly. "Just what the world needs.  
A miniature you running around."  
  
"Hey." Carly frowned. "Like the world needs a tiny version of you either."  
  
"Hey, hey, hey." He said softly and took her hand. "I was kidding. Maybe  
she would been a combo of us. The best traits and characteristics?"  
  
"The best?" Carly snorted. "I don't think she would have had much to go on  
then."  
  
"Carly…"  
  
"Angel…Angel was going to be my new start. I was going to start everything  
over. Be someone new, I don't know. I think I pinned too much hope on one  
little girl but…" Carly swallowed hard.  
  
Sonny reached out to touch her cheek and Carly closed her eyes. She pressed  
her hand to her stomach. This time on purpose.  
  
"I said I used to touch my stomach to calm myself down but it was also to  
remind myself that there was life there, to bond with her, and to dream  
about what she would be like and how proud I would be of her. It's not like  
I'm not proud of Michael but I made too many mistakes with him and with  
Angel…everything was going to be perfect. Right from the start, I wasn't  
going to make one mistake."  
  
Sonny cupped her face between his hands and used his thumbs to wipe away  
her tears. He whispered. "I know it hurts."  
  
Carly sobbed. "It's never going to stop, is it?" She pulled away from him  
and ran out of the house. Sonny knew she was heading to town and figured it  
was a good thing. They needed some time apart. He headed out to the beach.  
He needed to think.  
  
~*~*~  
Once again Sonny was woken from his sleep late that night. This time he  
could hear the sounds of Carly sobbing loudly. He got up and walked out  
without bothering with his robe. He padded towards the nursery hoping he  
wouldn't see her destroying the room yet again. Only when he opened the  
door the room was empty and still in the pristine state he'd left it in. He  
frowned in confusion. If she wasn't here, then where was she?  
  



	7. Chapter 7

Sonny listened for Carly's crying again and figured out that it was coming  
from her room. He tapped on the door before opening it. He softly opened  
the door to see Carly curled up in the middle of her bed crying.  
  
Sonny slowly approached the bed. He sat next her and touched her shoulder  
gently. "Hey."  
  
Carly raised her head and looked at him with red eyes. "I dreamed about  
Angel. I was here walking down the hallway and I could hear her crying. But  
the hallway kept getting longer and longer with every step. And she kept  
crying and crying but I couldn't get to her. I couldn't get to my baby,  
Sonny."  
  
Sonny shifted further onto the bed and took her into his arms. She rested  
her head on his shoulder. She murmured. "A.J. took our baby away. I *hate*  
him."  
  
Sonny wondered where this suddenly came from. He soothingly stroked her  
hair. "Me too."  
  
"Why?" She cried. "Why did he do this to us?"  
  
"I wish that there was some way for me to turn back time…"  
  
"But you can't and neither can I." Carly said softly. It was something she  
had to accept. She leaned back and wiped the tears from her face.  
  
"Are you okay now?" He asked her as he started to get up from the bed.  
  
She wrapped her arms around herself and nodded. She said hesitantly,  
"Um…could you…would you stay with me for awhile. At least until I fall  
asleep?"  
  
Sonny narrowed his eyes and studied her. He looked at her for so long that  
Carly became embarrassed. She shook her head rapidly. "You know what, never  
mind. It was a stupid idea."  
  
He shook his head. "No, I don' t mind. It saves me having to search this  
house for you the next time you wake me up. Move over."  
  
Carly scooted across the bed and Sonny lay down beside her. She stiffened  
up next to him. Carly stared up at the ceiling and listened to the sounds  
of their breathing. After several seconds she finally said. "This was  
stupid. Go back to your own bed."  
  
"Would you be quiet so I could get some sleep?" Sonny gritted out.  
  
"This isn't working. Go back to your bed." She insisted.  
  
"You know, I don't think I've ever been kicked out of a woman's bed  
before." Sonny smirked.  
  
"There's a first time for everything." She smirked back. "Now go."  
  
"I don't get you. You beg me to sleep here and now two seconds later you're  
throwing me out. What is the problem?"  
  
"It doesn't feel right anymore." She said lamely.  
  
He cursed under his breath and threw his arm around her. "Sonny!" She  
squealed. He ignored her and brought her close to him. He muttered. "Now  
shut up and go to sleep."  
  
Carly struggled against him for a few minutes but he was grip was strong  
and he wouldn't let go. There was no use fighting it. She collapsed against  
him and closed her eyes.  
  
~*~*~  
The next morning Carly woke up in Sonny's arms. She blushed furiously. She  
couldn't believe she asked him to stay and spent the whole night with him.  
But…she had to admit to herself that there was something nice about waking  
up in his arms. She couldn't remember the last time that happened to her.  
Or the last time she didn't completely hate the man whose arms she was  
waking up in. It was a really good feeling…  
  
Carly shook her head. What was she thinking? Nice and good? Sonny? She had  
to be kidding... She chewed on her lip and thought about it. All right, it  
*was* kind of nice to know that he cared enough to stay. He could have left  
after she finally went to sleep but he didn't. He stayed.  
  
Why are you fooling yourself? He probably just fell asleep before she did  
and that's why he stayed, she told herself. No doubt he hated every minute  
of it. She frowned and started to move away from him.  
  
The movement of the bed woke Sonny. He slowly opened his eyes. "What time  
is it?"  
  
"I don't know. Early?" She guessed by the amount of light shining through  
her curtains.  
  
"Oh." He groaned and sat up.  
  
"You know, you didn't have to stay, you could have gone." She said quickly.  
  
He shrugged and didn't answer.  
  
Carly fidgeted on the bed. "So I guess I should say thank you, huh?"  
  
"That would be a good start."  
  
"Don't push your luck." She smirked. "All you did was lay next to me."  
  
"Everything okay this morning?" Sonny murmured as he stared into her eyes.  
  
She nodded and stared at the sheet. "Yeah, kinda."  
  
"Good." He touched her cheek gently. "You scared me last night."  
  
"I did?"  
  
"Yeah, there's something about being woken two nights in a row by you  
crying that scares me."  
  
"Really?" She pressed for more information. She tucked a strand of hair  
behind her ear. "Why is that?"  
  
Sonny sat silent. He frowned and asked himself the same question. Why? He  
looked up at Carly who was waiting expectantly. She was dressed in the  
T-shirt she'd slept in, her hair was a mess, and she didn't have any makeup  
on. The answer that came to him he didn't like.  
  
"Sonny?" Carly said softly. "Hey?"  
  
Sonny got off the bed. "Do you want some breakfast? I'm a little hungry."  
  
Carly frowned as she watched her leave the room as quickly as possible.  
What was that? She smirked to herself. The strain of spending so much time  
with her must have finally caught up with him.  
  
~*~*~  
"I'll see you in a little bit okay?" Carly stood over Sonny later that day.  
He was sprawled out in one of the deck chairs staring at the beach. He  
appeared to be deep in thought but she didn't let that stop her from  
interrupting him. She had searched the whole house for him until she  
figured out where he was.  
  
He peered up at her. It didn't even occur to him that this was the first  
time she'd let him know she was leaving the house since they got to the  
island. "Where are you going?"  
  
She put on a pair of shades and said. "Into town."  
  
"What for?" He pressed.  
  
"To shop, to see the doctor, to sight see. The usual." She shrugged.  
  
"The doctor?" He sat up quickly. "Why? Is there something wrong? Are you  
okay?"  
  
"Calm down." She held up a hand. "I'm just going for a check up, that's  
all."  
  
"Do you want me to come with you?"  
  
She shook her head. "No, it's no big deal."  
  
"If you're sure…"  
  
Carly frowned at him. Why was he offering to go with her? This morning he  
couldn't wait to get away from her. "No, I'll be fine."  
  
Though just after her successful check up Carly was anything but fine. She  
had just walked out of the examination room when her heart broke in two.  
Sitting in the waiting room was a young mother singing softly to her  
newborn. Carly had to brace herself against the wall. Her hand immediately  
flew to her stomach.  
  
Was it always going to be like this, she wondered. Every time she saw a  
mother and child, would it hurt? Would it always feel like the rest of the  
world was laughing at her? Was it just a cosmic joke that Carly Benson  
couldn't take care of her kids and keep them safe?  
  
She shook her head. She couldn't do this. She thought she could but it was  
obvious she couldn't. Tears came to her eyes.  
  
The young woman glanced up at Carly. She asked gently. "Are you okay?"  
  
Carly didn't get a chance to answer because the baby began to fuss. The  
woman immediately tried to soothe the baby. She smiled up at Carly. "He's a  
little fussy today."  
  
Carly took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She tried to gather her  
strength. *He.* Carly had a very good reason to get over this. Michael.  
Michael needs her, well and happy. He didn't need a mother who freaked out  
every time she saw a baby.  
  
She swallowed and forced herself to smile at the woman. "He's beautiful.  
You're very lucky."  
  
"Thank you. There was a time that I thought I'd never have a baby." The  
woman confessed. "I miscarried twice before my husband and I were blessed  
with him."  
  
Carly covered her mouth with her hand. "I'm so sorry. How horrible."  
  
She shrugged and rocked the baby in her arms. "That's the way life is  
sometimes I guess."  
  
Carly sat down next to the woman. "How did you get over it?"  
  
"It took time. I'll never forget them though and they will always be in my  
heart, I know that. I'll miss them and wonder what could have been. But I  
couldn't go back in time and change things. That was the hardest thing for  
me to accept." She studied Carly closely. "Did you…"  
  
Carly nodded. "Recently."  
  
She touched Carly's shoulder. "I know that you've probably heard this a  
thousand times and you believe it's not true but it *will* get easier."  
  
"I'm not sure I'm ready to believe that."  
  
"You will be." She said solemnly.  
  
The nurse came out and spoke to the young woman. "The doctor will see you  
now."  
  
She gathered up her things and stood. Carly watched her. She said softly.  
"Thank you."  
  
She smiled gently. "You're welcome." She followed the nurse out of the  
waiting room.  
  
Carly stared at the floor as she thought about their conversation. Maybe  
there was some truth in what she said.  
  
~*~*~  
"I'm back." Carly called out as she entered the beach house later that  
night. She was feeling a lot better since her talk with the woman at the  
doctor's office. She stopped short and frowned. "Ew, if I say 'honey, I'm  
home'. Shoot me. Please."  
  
She waited for Sonny's response. It didn't come. Did he go somewhere, she  
wondered. She called out again, this time louder. "Sonny? Hey Sonny!"  
  
"I'm in the kitchen." Sonny called out.  
  
Carly walked towards the kitchen. She leaned against the doorjamb. "What  
are you doing?"  
  
"What does it look like?" He said with an arched eyebrow as he seasoned a  
fillet.  
  
"Looks like you're cooking to me."  
  
"Yeah, I decided to make dinner for us. I gave the cook the night off."  
  
"Oh." Carly said softly. She frowned suspiciously. "Why?"  
  
"Why?" He repeated then shrugged. "I don't know why. I felt like it."  
  
"Is this like some sort of…ploy?" Carly asked as she slowly made her way  
into the kitchen. She grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl on the counter  
and bit into it.  
  
"Ploy?" He repeated again.  
  
Carly growled. "Stop repeating everything I say!"  
  
"Look, there's no hidden ploy or scheme going on here. Why you would think  
that, I have no idea. But I just felt like making dinner. You don't want to  
eat with me? Fine. But if you *do* want to, put down the apple cause you'll  
ruin your appetite."  
  
Carly made a face and bit into the apple defiantly. Sonny shook his head  
and laughed. "Whatever. You can make your own dinner then, I'm not calling the  
cook back here because you're too stubborn."  
  
Carly rolled her eyes. "What are you making?"  
  
"Fish."  
  
"Fish?" Carly screwed her face.  
  
"Now who's repeating who?" Sonny wiped his hands on a dishtowel. "You don't  
like fish?"  
  
"I *hate* fish."  
  
"Aren't you from Florida?" Sonny frowned.  
  
"Yeah, but that doesn't mean I was born to love fish. Ugh." She shuddered.  
  
Sonny nodded. "Okay, I can make you something else."  
  
Her mouth dropped open in shock. "Really?"  
  
He shrugged and moved over to the refrigerator. "Yeah, it's no problem. You  
like chicken?"  
  
"I mean, just like that?" Carly gestured with her apple. "No big argument?  
No I'm just going to have to eat the fish and like it?"  
  
He said slowly. "Carly, it's not a big deal. Really. Everything between us  
doesn't have to be a fight."  
  
"Well, usually it's either that or sex." Carly muttered.  
  
Sonny paused and looked at her. Carly bit into her fruit again and looked  
away. She had no idea what possessed her to say those words. A long  
uncomfortable silence passed between them. Finally when she thought she  
couldn't stand it any longer, Sonny cleared his throat and brought the  
chicken over to the counter.  
  
She swallowed. "So what are you making me?"  
  
He looked up with a smile. "It'll be a surprise.'  
  
"Just don't make it crab stuffed chicken or something." Carly warned.  
  
"Why don't you get out of my kitchen? You're crowding me." He suggested.  
  
"I don't know. I think I have to keep my eye on you." Carly sidled up next  
to him. "Make sure you don't sabotage my dinner."  
  
"Make yourself useful. Set the table." He ordered her.  
  
She raised her eyebrow. "Excuse me?"  
  
He leaned in close and murmured. "Please Carly, would you go and set the  
table?"  
  
Carly stared into his eyes. She nodded and slowly smiled. "All you had to  
was say please."  
  
He shook his head and Carly laughed. She placed her half-eaten apple into  
his hands. "Here, hold this. Don't get cute with my food."  
  
Carly tossed a smile over her shoulder as she went about getting the dishes  
and silverware. Sonny smirked and dropped her apple in the garbage.  
"Dinner will be ready in a hour."  
  
~*~*~  
Carly stared at Sonny across the table. They hadn't said anything since  
they sat down to the dinner. They ate quietly. Sonny looked up from his  
plate to see Carly staring at him intently. He looked into her eyes and she  
quickly dropped her eyes back down. Sonny frowned but continued eating. He  
felt her eyes on him again but when he looked up she looked away again.  
Sonny sighed and placed his fork on the table. He folded his hands and  
looked at her. "What is it?"  
  
Carly looked up with feigned innocence. "Huh?"  
  
Sonny narrowed his eyes. "Dinner's okay?"  
  
"Yeah." She nodded.  
  
"The salad? The rice? The chicken?"  
  
Carly nodded again. "Yeah, well the chicken could have a little more flavor  
but other than that…"  
  
Sonny looked at the ceiling. "Carly, why do you keep looking at me?"  
  
She shrugged. "I don't know. I'm trying to figure you out, I guess."  
  
Sonny picked up his fork. "There's nothing to figure out."  
  
"Yeah, there is. There's this sudden change in attitude from you. You  
haven't treated me like public enemy number one in a long time and I want  
to know what's up. I mean ever since we hit the island you've been kind of  
*nice* to me." She said the word as if it disgusted her. "What is going on  
here, Sonny?"  
  
"Is there any reason for me to? No." He shrugged.  
  
"There's reasons enough but you haven't said anything. My guess is you're  
walking on eggshells around me because of the," Carly paused and took a  
deep breath, "the miscarriage."  
  
Sonny shook his head. "No, that's not it. Carly, there is *really* no  
reason for me to insult you. It didn't do either of us any good. It was a  
waste of time."  
  
Carly stared at him for a moment before nodding. "Good because you know it  
really gets old hearing the same old whore tramp slut refrain over and  
over. I usually let it roll off of me but man…"  
  
Sonny reached across the table to touch her hand. "I'm sorry for that."  
  
She snatched her hand away. "Why are you apologizing? It was what you  
thought of me, wasn't it?"  
  
He took a breath. "I was wrong."  
  
Carly picked up her fork and stabbed her chicken with it. "Whatever. You're  
only saying that because of Angel. You don't have to. You don't want to  
like me? That's okay with me."  
  
"Why won't you believe me why I say that I'm sorry?"  
  
"Because I know you're lying. Sonny, it's fine." She shrugged.  
  
"Why are you making such a big deal about this?" He frowned.  
  
Carly rolled her eyes. "Okay, Sonny, I accept your apology. I *believe*  
you. Happy?"  
  
"Actually I'm not."  
  
"What do you want me from?" She burst out. She threw down her fork and  
stood up. "I don't know what to do with you. How do I handle you when  
you're being nice? You're never nice to me and all of sudden you're cooking  
dinner for me and holding me and wiping away my tears and…and…It's really  
weirding me out!"  
  
Sonny stared at her for a few seconds before laughing loudly. Carly glared  
at him. She gritted through her teeth. "Why are you laughing at me? Don't  
laugh at me!"  
  
He chuckled. "It's just that, this whole thing is ridiculous. You're  
deliberately looking for a reason to make me angry aren't you?"  
  
"No. I just want the truth."  
  
Sonny stood up and walked around the table. "The truth is, there is no  
reason for us to hurt each other anymore."  
  
"Because of Angel, because she's gone." She looked down.  
  
He tilted her chin up so that he could look into her eyes and said softly.  
"Partly and partly because I don't want to hurt you anymore, Carly."  
  
"Why?" She demanded.  
  
He shrugged. "The urge has passed, I guess."  
  
Carly smirked. "Just wait until I ruin the life of someone else you love."  
  
"Why do you insist on doing this? Ever since we got here you've been  
pushing me away."  
  
"No, I haven't." She lied stubbornly.  
  
He clenched his jaw. "Yes, you have. I've had to pull everything out of  
you. You didn't make anything easy for me."  
  
"And you want what? A medal or something?" Carly mocked.  
  
"I just want you to stop." He growled.  
  
Carly widened her eyes. "Ooo, not so *nice* anymore are you?"  
  
Sonny tightened his hands into fist and shook his head. "You just can't  
help yourself, can you?"  
  
"You don't like me Sonny. Just *say* it, okay?"  
  
"Carly…" He tried to inject but continued.  
  
"*Say* it!"  
  
"Carly…" He tried again but she ignored him.  
  
"Stop pretending otherwise and just face up to it." She taunted him.  
  
He surprised her by grabbing her by the shoulders and pulling her close to  
him. In an effort to shut her up he covered her lips with his own. He  
kissed her hard. Carly stood stiff against him at first but then as the  
kiss continued on she relaxed against him, putting her arms around his  
neck. She closed her eyes and pressed herself against him.  
  
Sonny lifted his head and said. "I am not pretending to like you. Maybe I  
don't, okay, but I'm trying."  
  
Carly stared at him blankly for a moment. Then as she realized what had  
just happened she frowned. "What is it? You only kiss me when you're angry  
with me?"  
  
"What? Number one, I don't have to be angry to kiss you and number two, I  
wasn't angry."  
  
Carly laughed a little. "You weren't angry? Right."  
  
"If you want me to prove to you that it's not anger has nothing to do with  
it, I can." He threatened her.  
  
Carly took a step back and shook her head. "No, I don't want you to prove a  
damn thing. Believe me."  
  
She moved around him and quickly left the room.  
  
~*~*~  
Sonny shoved his hands into his pocket and stared out at the water. He  
played the kiss over and over in his mind. Why he did it, he wasn't sure  
but he couldn't stop thinking about it. And her. Ever since that morning  
she'd been on his mind. He couldn't get away from her.  
  
The only reason I kissed her was to shut her up, he told himself sternly.  
That was all. She kept talking and talking and I couldn't get a word in  
edgewise. I had to do *something*. And it wasn't because I was angry. He  
closed his eyes. But if I wasn't angry, why did I kiss her?  
  
Carly sat down on the window seat in her room. She curled her feet  
underneath her and stared out the window. In the distance she could see  
Sonny standing on the beach. She sighed heavily and pushed back a strand of  
hair that fell across her face.  
  
Sonny and that damn kiss. She couldn't get it out of her mind. Why did I  
let him do it? And most importantly, why did I enjoy it? If only I hadn't  
pushed him. She touched the windowpane and watched as Sonny crouched down  
in the sand. But I did push him and we did kiss. So what are we going to do  
now? And how much did one little kiss change things?  
  



	8. Chapter 8

Bobbie leaned her head out the door to see which guard was watching the  
Brownstone that morning. She could never keep their schedules straight. But  
if she were lucky she wouldn't have to worry about it for much longer.  
Carly and Sonny should be coming back home soon. She was not surprised to  
see Johnny standing outside. He was the house every day since Carly left.  
She saw him more often than the other guards.  
  
She leaned against the doorjamb. "Good morning Johnny. Do you ever sleep?"  
  
He nodded and said seriously. "Of course, Ms. Spencer."  
  
"I was just kidding." Bobbie grinned. "You want to come in for breakfast?"  
  
He shook his head. "No thank you."  
  
"Guess you already ate then." Bobbie hesitated before saying, "Have you  
heard from Sonny? Because I was just wondering *when* they were coming  
back."  
  
"I haven't spoken to Mr. Corinthos but I'm sure it'll be awhile. They did  
just get down there a few days ago and this isn't something that they can  
just deal with on a weekend." Johnny stared off in the distance. I'm sure  
that Carly…Ms. Benson is doing her best to handle this though it must be  
hard for her. She'll be back once she puts herself back together."  
  
"Well…" Bobbie studied Johnny. She slowly raised an eyebrow. "Hmm…"  
  
"Yes?" Johnny asked.  
  
"Nothing, just noticed something…" She patted his shoulder. "Instead of  
haunting my stoop, why don't get give a little more responsibility to the  
other guards and take some time for yourself."  
  
"I promised Ms. Benson that I'd watch out for Michael while she was away."  
  
"Don't worry about it, he's got his grandma to watch him." Bobbie grinned.  
"Why don't you go out, se your girlfriend…"  
  
"Oh, I don't have a girlfriend and I wouldn't feel right. I did promise Ms.  
Benson."  
  
Bobbie sighed. "Somehow I knew you'd say that. Okay, Johnny but don't work  
yourself too hard."  
  
"I won't, Ms. Spencer and if Mr. Corinthos calls, I'll let you know."  
  
Bobbie nodded. She started to go back inside but paused as she suddenly  
remembered something. She frowned over her shoulder at him. "You wouldn't  
happen to know where A.J. is?"  
  
Johnny shook his head solemnly. "Sorry, I heard he was missing but I don't  
know where he is."  
  
"Mm-hmm. Right." Bobbie looked at him skeptically.  
  
~*~*~  
The next morning after a long sleepless night for both of them, Carly and  
Sonny met up at the breakfast table. The cook had laid out a lavish  
breakfast but both just nibbled at the food. Neither looked the other in  
the eye. Finally Carly took a deep breath,  
  
"About the last night—"  
  
"I was thinking—" He started at the same time.  
  
Carly fiddled with her napkin. "You go ahead."  
  
He rubbed his chin and nodded at her. "No, I can wait. Say what you were  
going to say."  
  
"I was just going to say that what happened last night? Should just stay  
there, you know? We don't have to bring it up again."  
  
"You want to forget about it?" He stared at her.  
  
She nodded quickly. "Yeah, yeah, it was stupid, you know? And talking about  
it isn't going to help things. I don't want something like that to  
complicate our time down here. It's better that we put it all behind us."  
  
Sonny stood up abruptly, carrying his plate. "Carly it was just a kiss."  
  
She twisted around in her seat and watched as he carried his plate into the  
kitchen. "That's what I'm saying. It was just a kiss that I'd like to  
forget about."  
  
"You want to do that? Fine with me." He walked back to the table.  
  
"Uh, good?" She was puzzled by his behavior. Wouldn't he want to forget  
about it also? "So what were you going to say?"  
  
He hesitated and then shrugged. "The same thing you said."  
  
She raised her eyebrow skeptically. "Really?"  
  
"Really." He nodded and gestured towards her plate. "You finished with  
that?"  
  
"Oh, yeah sure. Thanks." Carly went to hand it to him but he said. "Good,  
don't forget to clean up after yourself before you go out."  
  
She made a face. "Cute. I'm not going anywhere today though."  
  
"Why not? Seen all that the island had to offer already?"  
  
She shook her head. "I think I should stay here today. Don't you? I mean us  
connecting isn't going to happen with me halfway across the island, right?"  
  
Sonny sat down next to her, his arm thrown across the back of her chair. He  
looked into her eyes and murmured. "What do you suggest we do?"  
  
She leaned back away from him and his intense gaze. "You're the man with  
all the ideas, you think of something."  
  
He closed his eyes and thought about it. Carly took the opportunity to  
scrutinize him. She was close enough to smell his aftershave and could see  
where he nicked himself shaving that morning. Because of the tropical  
weather he'd left his heavy somber suits back in Port Charles and switched  
to a more casual style. His pants, though black, were linen and the top  
three buttons of his light blue short sleeved shirt were undone.  
  
She let her gaze drift toward the top of his head. She smirked; the suits  
weren't the only things he left in Port Charles. Instead of being slicked  
down by a ton of styling gel as usual, his hair was in its natural curly  
state. She wondered what it would feel like. She couldn't remember if she  
touched his hair that night everything changed and last night the last  
thing on her mind was touching his hair. Her hand flexed on the table as  
the sudden urge to run her fingers through his hair came over her. She  
clamped her other hand on top of it to curb the urge. Where did that come  
from? She shifted her eyes back to Sonny's face only to find him watching  
her with a bemused expression.  
  
"Carly?" He said with laughter in his voice. "What are you doing?"  
  
"Nothing, just waiting for you to make up your mind." She snapped. Her tone  
was sharper than she meant but she was a little embarrassed that he caught  
her looking at him and also ticked that he would laugh at her.  
  
"I was going to say let's take a walk on the beach since I know you like it  
out there." He said coolly. "But if you changed your mind, I can get you a  
ride into town."  
  
"I didn't change my mind." Carly sighed. "I was…" She waved her hand in  
front of her. "Never mind what I was doing. A walk, huh? Why do I feel like  
someone's golden retriever?"  
  
"Not going to touch it." He stood up. "Okay, I'll meet you out on the deck  
in ten minutes. Don't forget to clean up after yourself."  
  
They spent the rest of the day leisurely walking up and down the beach  
talking about whatever popped into their heads. By an unspoken agreement  
they stayed away from the topic of Angel. They tiptoed around the subject;  
neither wanted to speak about the reason they were on the island. That  
afternoon they went their separate ways, Sonny, to take care of business  
and Carly to rest. Sonny called the States to check up on his business and  
to make sure that everything was still running smoothly. After that he  
checked in with Johnny. After listening to Johnny's reports, he told the  
guard that things were going well but he and Carly weren't going to be home  
anytime soon. Before going to her room for a long nap, Carly went to the  
nursery. She didn't go inside, she only stood outside with her hand pressed  
on the closed door. She squeezed her eyes shut and took a deep breath then  
went on her way.  
  
Later that night they shared a quiet dinner and then stretched out on the  
deck chairs. They stared up at the stars and listened to the waves crashing  
on the beach. They were having a heated discussion about movies when Carly  
snickered at a comment Sonny made. "You can't be serious. How can you like  
the *sequel* better than the original."  
  
Sonny sat up and faced her. "Because it's a known fact that the sequel  
surpasses the original. That's the purpose of a sequel."  
  
"A known fact?" Carly repeated in disbelief. "Where do you come up with  
this? Sequels are never better than the first. In fact they're always a  
severe disappointment. The only reason sequels are made is to cash in on  
the success of the first. They're not made to 'surpass the original'.  
They're made because Hollywood doesn't believe in unique and creative ideas  
anymore. They believe that if it worked the first time then it'll work the  
second time and the third and the fourth, hell, even the fifth. They take  
the 'if it ain't broke, don't try and fix it' motto to the extreme. It's  
not just movies. It's TV too. You'll see the same storyline over and over  
again on a soap opera but with just different characters. It's ridiculous.  
Sequels should be banned."  
  
"When a movie is over, don't you wonder what happened with the characters  
afterward? Don't you wish you could see more? Don't you want to…I don't  
know, visit with them again?"  
  
"No." She said simply. "When the movie's over, the story's over. If I want  
to see the characters again, I'll just watch the movie again. Simple as  
that."  
  
"Come on, there isn't one sequel out there that you've enjoyed?"  
  
"Well…" She smiled slyly. "I have to admit that the second Weekend At  
Bernie's was *almost* on the same level as the first."  
  
Sonny chuckled. "Tell me you are kidding. Please."  
  
Carly tried to keep a straight face. "No, no, I'm totally serious. I mean,  
who would have thought they could make *two* great movies about people  
partying with a dead guy." She couldn't hold it in any longer and she burst  
out laughing.  
  
"An example of fine cinema, I'm sure." Sonny's shoulders quaked with  
laughter.  
  
"It was, it was." Carly said around her giggles. "Especially when every  
time the music played he'd get up and dance!"  
  
"Stop, stop!" Sonny held up his hand.  
  
"Man, there was some great acting in that movie. And I'm talking about the  
guy playing Bernie of course." She finished with a silly grin.  
  
"Right." Sonny shook his head. Carly stretched out on her stomach and  
rested her head on her folded arms. She glanced up to see Sonny staring at  
her with surprise on his eyes. She narrowed hers. "What?"  
  
"This…You and I have never shared a laugh before."  
  
"Weird huh?"  
  
"You could say that."  
  
"I do have a sense of humor, you know." She said.  
  
"I never doubted that." He said. "It's just that we've never had much to  
laugh about."  
  
"Like we have so much to laugh about." Carly said softly. She closed her  
eyes as Angel immediately came to mind. Somehow she hadn't thought of her  
daughter once that day. It was like she forgot about her. The last thing  
she wanted to do was exactly what she was doing. She spent the day with  
Sonny, laughing and talking and Angel never appeared in her mind. She sat  
up horrified.  
  
"Carly?" Sonny said gently.  
  
"I…I think it's time I went to bed."  
  
"Already? You had the big nap this afternoon." He looked at her closely.  
"Are you all right?"  
  
"Yeah, yeah." She lied as she quickly stood. He simply looked up at her  
until she rubbed her hands over her face and admitted. "Okay, okay, I'm  
tired. I…it's Angel. I didn't think about her today. I mean, it's like I'm  
forgetting her. That *can't* happen."  
  
Sonny rose also. "You're being irrational. You're not going to forget about  
her just because you spent one day not thinking about her."  
  
"It's easy for you to say." Carly snapped. "If I hadn't seen you in the  
penthouse I wouldn't know if losing Angel affected you at all."  
  
Sonny narrowed his eyes. "You think I don't know what I've lost? You think  
that it doesn't hurts me also?"  
  
Carly looked at the floor silently. She knew she was being impossible.  
Attacking him wasn't the answer. It wasn't going to erase the guilt she  
felt for having a good time. "You know, I really should go to bed before we  
end up in a fight."  
  
Sonny rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, that might be a good idea…"  
  
She waited for him to say more but he stayed silent. She started to move  
past him when his hand shot out and grabbed her arm. She jumped from the  
surprise of him touching her. "Sonny?"  
  
He looked into her eyes and his hand began to move unconsciously up and  
down her arm. He murmured. "Carly, there's nothing wrong with having a  
little fun sometimes. Even if it is with me."  
  
She smirked. "I can't believe *you* are telling *me* to have fun. How did  
this happen?"  
  
"Stranger things have happened."  
  
"I know." She immediately thought of their one-night stand and the kiss the  
other night. She stepped away from him and went to the doors. She stopped  
when he called out her name. She looked over her shoulder to see him still  
standing by the deck chairs wearing a hint of a smile.  
  
"Just don't expect me to discuss movies with you again."  
  
"Don't worry, you'll see things the way I do. They always do." She boasted  
before slipping inside.  
  
~*~*~  
Carly smoothed her maternity dress over her rounded stomach as the wind  
whipped her clothes and hair around. She reached up to pull away a strand  
of hair that blew into her mouth but a hand beat her to it and gently  
pulled it away. She smiled up at Johnny and murmured. "Thank you."  
  
"It's kind of windy. Maybe you should stay inside today." Johnny suggested  
even as he helped her down the stairs of the beach house.  
  
She shook her head. "Michael was going a little stir crazy in the house."  
  
"Michael! Honey, don't run so fast." Carly called out as Michael ran up  
ahead of her and Johnny.  
  
"He'll be fine." Johnny reassured her.  
  
"Mmm, I guess." Carly casually slipped her arm through Johnny's as they  
strolled down the beach to where Michael now played in the sand.  
  
"I need to go into town tomorrow." She informed him. "I've grown out of  
some of the pants Carlos picked up. I knew I should have gotten the bigger  
size."  
  
"I'll take you in the morning then."  
  
"Oh, you don't have to do that. Carlos or one of the other guys can do it."  
  
"I don't mind." He smiled shyly.  
  
"You really want to go shopping with a pregnant woman who has to pee every  
five minutes and a two year old?" She arched her eyebrow.  
  
He shrugged. "I really don't mind."  
  
She grinned up at him. "You are such a sweetheart."  
  
"Because I want to take the woman I love shopping?" Johnny raised his  
eyebrows. "Is that the prerequisite for sainthood or something?"  
  
"Don't make fun of me." She punched him the arm. "I like it that you take  
care of me."  
  
He ran his hands through her hair. "I will always take care you. You and  
our child." His hand came down to massage her stomach. Carly covered his  
hand with hers. "I am so lucky to have you."  
  
She smiled brightly at him and he felt his heart began to beat faster. She  
always had that effect on him. "No, I'm the lucky one." He swore.  
  
"We are not going to argue about this." She poked his broad chest with her  
finger. "Let's just call it a draw, hmm?"  
  
"Okay with me." Johnny bent his head and was just about to kiss her when  
the phone rang, bringing him out of his favorite dream right before the  
good stuff started.  
  
"Damn it." He muttered. This always happened when he least wanted it to.  
The bodyguard was sprawled out in the middle of his bed. He'd been sleeping  
peacefully before the phone rang. He sat up and ran his hands through his  
hair. He kicked away the sheet that had gotten tangled around his feet  
revealing the fact that he slept nude, something that his Peeping Tom  
neighbor Sally was grateful for.  
  
He reached for the phone. "Yeah?" He barked. He listened quietly before  
saying curtly. "Yeah, I'll relieve you in two hours. Next time *don't* call  
me."  
  
He tossed the phone away and closed his eyes. There was no way he'd be able  
to go back to sleep and resume his dream. It was probably for the best.  
Dreaming about Carly Benson was going to get him in trouble. He was just  
her *friend* and no where near Jason Morgan or Sonny Corinthos on her list  
of men who were more than friends.  
  
~*~*~  
Carly stood barefoot in the middle of an open field. Her toes dug into the  
warm grass as the sun beat down on her. The day was one of those picture  
perfect days that rarely happened. Behind her, someone called out to her  
but she couldn't tell who it was. She looked over her shoulder to see a  
little girl about five or six with long blond hair, big blue eyes, and  
dimples just like her father's framing her wide smile running towards her  
calling,  
  
"Mommy! Mommy!"  
  
Carly's jaw dropped and she whispered. "Angel?"  
  
"Mommy, me and Mikey and Daddy are playing tag. Daddy's it!" The little  
girl giggled as she ran past Carly.  
  
"Wait, wait, come back!" Carly ran after the girl. "Angel!"  
  
She stopped and waited for Carly to catch up. She fidgeted. "Mommy, I gotta  
go. I gotta go play."  
  
Carly looked around for Sonny. But she and Angel were alone. Carly crouched  
down to Angel's level. She ran her hands over the girl's face. She  
breathed. "Angel…"  
  
The girl cocked her head to the side. "Mommy?"  
  
"Oh my baby." Carly tried to hug the little girl to her but she squirmed  
away.  
  
"Mommy, I *have* to go." She said insistently and stared into Carly's eyes.  
"*Now*."  
  
"No, you're staying here, with me." Carly declared firmly. She stood up and  
held her hands. "Let's go find your brother and your daddy and…and we'll  
all stay *together*, okay? All of us together. Would you like that? Come  
on."  
  
Carly tried to lead the child down the field but she stayed rooted to the  
spot. Carly looked over her shoulder. "Come on baby."  
  
She shook her head. "Uh-uh. I can't go that way. I have to go over  
*there*." She pointed in the opposite direction.  
  
"No." Carly whispered and knelt back in front of the girl. She held her  
hands. "I am not going to let you leave, you hear me?"  
  
"I have to, Mommy. I'm going to have fun there and play and be happy. Can I  
be happy, Mommy?"  
  
"Of course you can sweetheart."  
  
"Then I have to go there." She smiled at her; her father's dimples  
reappearing. "I'll be happy. Let me go, please."  
  
Carly watched, unable to move as she slipped her hands out of Carly's and  
took a step back. "Bye Mommy."  
  
"Bye Angel." Carly whispered with a lump in her throat  
  
She turned and ran down the field, pausing once to wave at Carly, then  
laughing happily she started to run again. Carly watched until the child  
had disappeared and even then she still stared down the field.  
  
Carly sat up in her bed and pushed her hair out of her face. "What kind of  
a dream was that?" She whispered to no one in particular.  
  
"Was that supposed to make me want to say goodbye to my baby?" She  
muttered.  
  
"Bull." She threw off her covers and got out of bed. She marched back and  
forth across her room, talking to myself. "I'm supposed to be comforted by  
the fact that she's in a much better place now? Is that supposed to make me  
feel better?"  
  
She paused and sighed. "This…this is crazy. I'm going to drive *myself*  
crazy. I need something to drink."  
  
She dragged on her robe and while tying the belt around her waist she  
stalked out her room. She was heading towards the kitchen for water when  
the door to the nursery sidetracked her. She stared at the door. Earlier  
that day when she passed by she couldn't go in. She couldn't bring herself  
to do it. Maybe her dream…  
  
She took a hesitant step forward then stopped. She shook her head. What was  
she doing? She couldn't do this. So what if she saw her daughter. So what  
if the child told her goodbye. *She* wasn't ready yet.  
  
But as if she was being pulled towards it she walked slowly towards the  
door. Before she knew it she was turning the doorknob and slipped inside,  
flipping on the light switch as she did. She sagged against the door and  
took in a deep breath. She knew that Sonny had cleaned up but she hadn't  
realized how much.  
  
Everything was back in their places. The bassinet, the teddy bears, the  
curtains, everything. It was like she hadn't lost control and destroyed it  
all. It was perfect again.  
  
She covered her face and laughed softly to herself. What was with tonight?  
Was everything supposed to be a metaphor? The dream? Let go of Angel and go  
on with her life? The room? Forget about her and act like nothing happened  
at all? This was stupid.  
  
She reached up for the teddy bear that she held the other night and out of  
the corner of her eye she noticed a rip in one of the yellow curtains. She  
returned the bear to the shelf and went over to inspect it. She pulled at  
the material to see that right in the middle of the curtain was a huge  
hole. She poked her hand through the hole.  
  
"See." She whispered. "Everything doesn't go back to normal no matter how  
hard you try. You can pretend it didn't happen but it's still there."  
  
She clamped her hand across her mouth and thought about what she just said.  
It looked like her dream was effecting her after all. Before she knew it  
she'd probably be saying things like "and you have to live with it."  
  
This was too much to take in all in one night, she thought to herself. She  
had to get out of there. She turned off the light and backed out of the  
room. She padded quietly down the hall. She had to get away from the room  
and those thoughts. And she still needed that water.  
  
~*~*~  
Sonny opened the door to the penthouse and the first thing he heard was the  
sound of laughter. Sonny smiled and leaned against the doorjamb to take in  
the sight. Carly was on the floor tickling Michael mercilessly. "You give  
up, huh? Huh?" She laughed as Michael tried to squirm away.  
  
"What are you doing?" He pushed away from the door and slowly walked over  
to them, shedding his suit jacket as he did. He knelt down beside them.  
  
Carly glanced at him. "We *were* going to wait for you to get here but Mr.  
Man got a little antsy."  
  
"Uh-huh. Mommy torturing you?" Sonny rubbed the toddler's hair  
affectionately.  
  
"He likes it." Carly swore. "He kept saying 'more, more', I swear."  
  
Sonny smirked at her. "Right. How was Angel today?"  
  
"Like the proverbial Angel, perfect of course." Carly grinned.  
  
He looked around the room, searching for her. "Where's the baby?"  
  
"She's sleeping." Carly told him.  
  
"I want to see her." Sonny walked away from her and Michael, still looking  
for the child.  
  
"Sonny…she's sleeping. She's nice and peaceful, I don't want to disturb  
her."  
  
"I said I want to see her." Sonny demanded. He suddenly had a bad feeling,  
an eerie sense that something was wrong. He had an urgent need to see and  
hold their daughter.  
  
"But Sonny…"  
  
"*Now*." Sonny nearly shouted the word. Michael jumped and Carly  
immediately hugged him to her. "It's alright, Michael, Sonny didn't mean  
it. *Right*, Sonny?"  
  
He rubbed his temples. "I didn't…I didn't meant to yell but could you get  
Angel, *please*."  
  
Carly nodded slowly. "Okay…Michael, come help me get your baby sister."  
  
Sonny watched as Carly led Michael by the hand up the stairs. He sat down  
on the couch. He covered his eyes and groaned. There was nothing wrong.  
Everything will be all right after he saw the baby. The couch moved as  
Carly joined him. He opened his eyes. Carly cradled Angel in her arms. He  
murmured. "That was fast."  
  
Carly just smiled mysteriously at him. "See? She's fine."  
  
He reached out and touched the wisp of blond hair that covered the baby's  
head. "I didn't mean to scare Michael."  
  
Carly shifted the baby into his arms and laid her head on his shoulder.  
"It's alright. He was just startled."  
  
Sonny studied the baby's face. He smiled when she yawned widely in her  
sleep. He whispered. "God, she's so…beautiful…"  
  
Carly stroked the baby's soft cheek. "I know."  
  
He glanced at her. "Thank you."  
  
She looked at him warily. "For what? I didn't do anything."  
  
"You know what you did." He cupped her face with one hand and kissed her  
softly and quickly. "I shouldn't have to tell you."  
  
He turned his attention back to the sleeping baby. "I think we should take  
her out this afternoon, maybe take her and Michael on a picnic? It's nice  
out. What do you think?"  
  
It took Sonny a few moments before he realized that Carly hadn't answered  
him. He glanced over and frowned when he saw that she was gone. Maybe she  
went back upstairs to check on Michael. He called out. "Carly?"  
  
Still no answer. He stood up with Angel in his arms and walked over to the  
stairs. "Carly?"  
  
Nothing. He went towards the kitchen. "Carly?"  
  
He crossed the room and jerked open the door to ask the guard if he saw  
Carly leave. But there was no guard at the door. He stuck his head out and  
yelled into the hall. "Carly!"  
  
There was still no answer. He strode towards the middle of the room.  
"Where did your mother go?" He glanced down at Angel and was shocked to  
discover that his arms were empty. "What the hell?"  
  
He could have sworn that he had the baby in his arms. He ran back over to  
the couch to see if maybe he left her there. The couch was empty. He looked  
around in a panic. "Angel? Where are you, baby?"  
  
He ran up the stairs, taking them two at a time. He threw open the door to  
the nursery, only to discover it completely empty of furnishings and  
people. "Angel? Carly?"  
  
He turned around and went back downstairs. The living room was darkened and  
his voice echoed as he repeated. "Angel? Carly!"  
  
He was alone. He sank down on the couch and buried his face in his hands.  
He was alone. There was no one there. Not Carly, Michael, or the baby. He  
whispered hoarsely, "Carly…"  
  
~*~*~  
Once again Carly's feet took her in a different direction. She was  
surprised to find herself outside of Sonny's door. She didn't know why she  
was there or how she got there. Well, she thought, I'm not going to be the  
only one up tonight. Might as well see if he wanted to get something to eat  
and hopefully make her something also.  
  
She raised her hand to knock on the door but decided against that. She  
slowly opened the door and whispered. "Sonny? Hey Sonny, you awake?"  
  
Her eyes widened when she heard him mumbled the baby's name followed by  
hers. "*Sonny?*"  
  
She quickly went over to the bed. "Hey, wake up."  
  
It took her several minutes and she had to shake him a few times before he  
finally opened his eyes. He stared at her without really seeing her. "Where  
did you go?"  
  
Carly shook her head, confused. "I'm right here. I didn't go anywhere."  
  
"You left." He accused her harshly. "You *left*. And then so did she."  
  
"Sonny, I don't know what you're talking about." She said sadly.  
  
He suddenly shot up and grabbed her arms. The sadness in his eyes caused  
her to shrink back. "She's *gone* Carly."  
  



	9. Chapter 9

Sonny's hands dug into her arms as he gripped her tight. Carly whispered. "Sonny, you're hurting me."   
  
She could see that he was still trapped in his dream. He wasn't aware of the fact that she was there. She spoke softly but firmly. "Sonny, let go of me. Look at me, Sonny. It's Carly."  
  
"Carly?" He repeated and she began to breathe easier when she saw his eyes focus on her. The wildness was gone but the sadness still lingered. He released her and Carly sat back and rubbed her arms where he held her. He ran his hands over his face. "I'm sorry, wh-what happened?"  
  
"You were dreaming, I guess." She touched his cheek gently. "Are you okay?"  
  
"I'm fine." He narrowed his eyes. He gestured to her arms. "I didn't hurt you, did I?"  
  
She shook her head and lied. "I'm okay, really."  
  
"You shouldn't have come in here." He pushed back the covers and walked away from her. Carly watched him stalk over the windows and stare out.   
  
"I wanted to see if you were hungry." She toyed with the sheet and murmured. "And I heard you call my name…and Angel's."   
  
"It was just a dream." He shrugged. He didn't want to dwell on it. The feeling of lost that came over him when he realized that Angel was gone was one thing. But the fact that he felt the same thing when he thought Carly was gone…  
  
"Looks like tonight was a big one for dreams." She muttered.  
  
"What?" He turned to face her.  
  
"You dreamed about Angel." She stated.   
  
"Yeah." He leaned back against the window and closed his eyes but not before she saw the haunted look in them. She got off the bed and slowly walked over to him. She reached out to touch his arm. "Sonny."  
  
He jerked away and returned to the bed. "I don't want to talk about it Carly."  
  
Carly wrapped her arms around her middle. "I'm sorry."  
  
"For what?" He sat on the edge of the bed.   
  
"For thinking you were handling this better than me. I was selfish. I thought you got it all out at the penthouse and that this trip was mostly about me. In the beginning I claimed it was about you. That I was going to help *you* but then we got here and I fell apart…Instead of us helping each other, you've been taking care of me."  
  
"Carly." Sonny groaned and covered his face with his hands. Carly walked over to the bed and kneeled between his legs. She took his hands and pulled them away.  
  
"I'm sorry, Sonny. I didn't do my half. I didn't help you like I was supposed to. I was too busy grieving alone," She closed her eyes and bit her lip, "when we should have been grieving *together*."  
  
"I grieved, Carly." He insisted.  
  
"When? Here, alone at night after you dealt with my demons?" Carly cupped his face with both hands and stared into his eyes. "Sonny, it's your turn."  
  
He stared at her a long time before taking a shuddering breath. His voice broke as he said, "I miss our baby."  
  
Tears welled up in her eyes and she nodded slowly. "I know, so do I."  
  
"I never got to spend any time with you while pregnant. I never felt her move inside of you."  
  
Carly looked away as she remembered the one time she was going to let him touch her stomach.   
  
** She absentmindedly rubbed her stomach comforting herself and the baby. Sonny studied the way her hand moved up and down. Carly looked up and caught the longing look on his face. She rolled her eyes, oh for goodness sake. He looked like he was a little boy and she had his ice cream cone.  
  
She sighed dramatically and said, "Sonny."  
  
"Huh?" He glanced up.  
  
"Would you like to…" She paused, took off her seat belt, and twisted in the seat to face him. "Feel the baby?"  
  
She watched as a light came on in his eyes as he tried to hide his glee. Carly was taken aback at how happy he was at the prospect of just touching her stomach. Sonny couldn't believe that he was about to finally get a chance to feel something that he helped create.  
  
"Well, I…sure." He shrugged and slowly stretched out his hand.  
  
"Oh, just do it." She snapped.  
  
She grabbed his hand and was just about to lay it on her stomach when the car was suddenly hit from behind. **  
  
When she looked back up at Sonny she could tell that he was remembering it also. She stroked the side of his face. "Sonny."  
  
He grabbed her hand and pressed it against his mouth. He murmured. "Do you know…no other pain can compare to this. One minute there was a baby just waiting for us and the next she was gone."  
  
Carly jumped up and wrapped her arms around him. He crushed her to him and buried his face in her hair. He said. "We never got a chance…"  
  
She soothingly rubbed his back. "I know. But Sonny, you were right, we can't let this control the rest of our lives."  
  
Sonny leaned back and studied her. She continued, "Like you I had a dream about Angel. It was one of those message dreams and I didn't get at first. Then I figured it out and it was a message that I didn't want hear but I had to."  
  
"Don't talk around it, Carly, just say it."  
  
She sighed. "Angel wants us to be happy. This isn't the end of our lives. Sonny, we have to move on."   
  
"Now it's your turn to tell me to move on?" He raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Hey, you had your turn to tell me to have fun." She countered.   
  
"I…I think we should go back to bed." He suggested, his voice low. She looked at him startled, the memory of the kiss they shared suddenly coming to her. He clarified for her, "Alone, separately."  
  
"I knew that." She nodded and stepped away from him. "I'll see you in the morning. Think about what I said, okay?"  
  
He nodded and Carly quickly left the room all thoughts of eating completely gone. Sonny lay back on the bed and stared at the door she exited through. He had an urge to call her back and ask her to lay next to him. Only until he fell asleep of course. She was surprisingly comforting that's all. He groaned and punched his pillow. It was a long time before he finally fell asleep.   
  
~*~*~  
The next morning Sonny sat on the deck staring out at the surf. His hands were wrapped around a cup of coffee. Carly shook her head as she studied him through her shades. This was becoming a habit. She sat down next to him. "You slept late."  
  
He shrugged and said without looking at her. "I had a little trouble going to sleep last night."  
  
"Angel?" She reached out to touch him and he flinched. She raised an eyebrow. He was touchy for some reason.  
  
"No, it wasn't Angel. I had some other things on my mind." You, he added silently. Carly stayed on his mind the whole night.   
  
"Well, I had an idea." She ignored his attitude.  
  
He looked up at the sky. "Heaven help us."  
  
She scowled. "Shut up. I thought that maybe we could," she looked down at the ground, "I don't know, do something fun. For Angel. She wants us to be happy, Sonny."  
  
"I'm…happy." He murmured.  
  
"No you're not and neither am I. But today we're going to have fun." She stated firmly.  
  
"Well don't sound so enthusiastic." He muttered.  
  
She jumped up. "You're not helping at all. Put down that damn coffee cup, get your lazy ass out of that chair, and let's go have *fun*!"  
  
He chuckled in spite of himself. He placed the cup on the floor and crisply saluted her. "Aye, aye captain!"   
  
"Don't be a smart ass."  
  
"So where do we start?"   
  
"Yesterday we walked. Let's try that." She stepped off the deck.  
  
He followed her. "Okay but no movie talk this time."  
  
"Hey you're the one who brought up sequels. I merely stated my opinion." She turned to face him, walking backwards in the sand. Unfortunately walking backward in sand wasn't as easy as it looked. She stumbled over her feet and fell on her backside. "Damn!"  
  
Sonny stifled a grin and went to help her. "You okay?" He stood over her and extended a hand.  
  
"It's not funny." She muttered as she grabbed his hand.  
  
"Sweetheart, from my point of view, it was." He laughed. He started to pull her up.  
  
Carly growled. "That's it." She yanked hard on his hand and he went crashing down beside her. She scrambled to her feet, stuck out her tongue, and laughed, "Ha! How you like them apples?"  
  
Sonny rolled over and faced her, his eyes filled with rage. Carly's laughter slowly faded away as she took a step back. "Uh, Sonny…"  
  
"Carly…" His voice was low and threatening.  
  
"Oh boy. Now Sonny, don't do anything rash…"   
  
He stared at her. "You pulled me down…"  
  
Carly took another step back with her hands held up in front of her. "You make a good point however…you're not going to catch me!"   
  
Carly took off running down the beach shrieking with laughter. Sonny got up and followed behind her. Once she neared the surf Sonny tackled her and they both went tumbling into the water.  
  
"Sonny!" She sat up, spitting water and sand out of her mouth. He shook his head laughing at the image she presented. She was completely soaked. "That was unfair."  
  
"You knocked me down." He grinned as he splashed her playfully.  
  
"You laughed at me." She splashed back.  
  
"Because it was funny! You said you wanted me to have fun." He retaliated by pushing her over. Carly caught herself before she could hit the water again.   
  
"You thought it was funny huh?" Carly pushed a wet strand of hair out of her face.  
  
"It was damn funny." He nodded.  
  
"Well," She stood up and looked down at him, "I'm going to go inside and take a shower. You can stay out here and enjoy your memory of me making a fool of myself."  
  
"Carly?" Sonny watched as she started to march away. She wasn't serious was she? He barely got a chance to think about it before she suddenly jumped at him. She had waited to catch him off guard and she took her opportunity.   
  
Sonny fell backwards and his arms automatically wrapped around Carly. He rolled them over in the water twice before they ended up with her underneath him. He chuckled. "You're a nut."  
  
"Thanks." She laughed and looked up into his eyes.  
  
Their laughter slowly faded away as they continued to stare into each other's eyes. Sonny smoothed a lock of her hair behind her ears. Carly slowly licked her lips and Sonny stared at them intently the whole time. He remembered what those lips felt and tasted like. A large wave crashed over them and brought them back to reality. Carly cleared her throat and Sonny looked away.  
  
"The last time I had this much fun," Carly paused, "It was here. The day before we went back to Port Charles. We were on the beach, playing the water. Me, Michael, and-"  
  
"Johnny, I know." Sonny said gruffly. He stood up abruptly.   
  
Carly followed him. "Yeah, with Johnny. How'd you know?"  
  
"I was uh, up there." He pointed at the beach house. "I saw you fall and he rushed over before I could react. Then you two started playing around."  
  
Carly wrapped her arms around her waist with a slight smile. It was her last happy memory with the baby. "Yeah, we had a lot of fun."  
  
Sonny shoved his hands into his pockets, ignoring the fact that they were just as wet as his pants. He clinched his jaw. "I could tell. You were very…relaxed with Johnny. You always are."  
  
She shrugged. "He's my friend. We're friendly."  
  
"I know. I've seen the two of you together." He grumbled. He remembered seeing Carly feeding Johnny.   
  
Carly studied him closely. What was that about? Her eyes widened as she realized what it was. She started to laugh. She said half-joking, "Sonny, you aren't jealous of me and Johnny are you?"  
  
"What?" He snapped. "Don't be ridiculous. Why would I be jealous?"  
  
"Right, right. I mean, Johnny's your guard and me? I'm nothing."  
  
"You're not 'nothing'." He said quickly.  
  
"Maybe not nothing but other than Angel, I don't mean anything to you." She shrugged.  
  
He frowned at her. "You-" He broke off and ran his hand through his hair. "Let's go out."  
  
"Excuse me?" The sudden change in conversation confused her. "What?"  
  
"Let's go somewhere. Into town, take a look around, maybe get some dinner?" He suggested.  
  
"Okay." She said slowly. "I gotta take a shower though. It feels like half the beach is in my hair."  
  
"I'll meet you in the living room in twenty minutes?"  
  
"Thirty." She said and started up the beach. Sonny stared after her. He scowled and shoved his hands into his hair. Jealous? Really, why would he be jealous of Johnny at all? He was just her friend. And like she said, other than Angel, she was nothing to him…  
  
~*~*~  
"Okay, we are stopping here." Sonny steered Carly into a café, later that day.   
  
It was dimly lit and very small. It was off the main street, an obvious hideaway known only to locals. Sonny spotted it after Carly led him down the street in search of a small boutique. Sonny looked around the café. The décor was hard to make it out because of the lighting. It was all dark red and black. The tables had candles that cast an intimate glow around the patrons. The tables surrounded a small dance floor. A piano was set up and man sat at it playing softly.   
  
"But I just want to check out that boutique. I want to get Bobbie something." Carly pointed at the store across the street.  
  
"You already have something for Bobbie." Sonny gestured at the many bags she carried. What started as a casual stroll through the city turned into a shopping frenzy. Carly *had* to get gifts for Michael, Bobbie and Johnny. She even picked up a few things for Sonny despite his objections.   
  
"But they may have a scarf…" Carly looked longingly at the store.   
  
"*After* we eat, all right?" He didn't wait for her confirmation. He turned to the waitress. "Two."  
  
"Right this way." She led them over to small empty table in the corner. Sonny obligingly pulled out her seat and Carly arranged her bags around her feet. She tossed her hair back and looked up at the waitress. Her eyes widened. "Uh…"  
  
The waitress was the woman from the doctor's office. She smiled gently at Carly. "I thought it was you but I wasn't sure."  
  
Sonny looked at them. "You know each other?"  
  
"We met at the doctor's." Carly told him.  
  
"How are you?" She said softly.  
  
"I'm…better." Carly said.  
  
"That's good to hear. It told you things would get better. And it's good of you and your husband to try getting out and doing things. That always helps."  
  
"Oh, he's not-"  
  
"We're not married." Sonny jumped in.   
  
"Oh. Still it's good that you two have each other to lean on. I don't know what I would have done without my Julio…" She sighed and shook her head. "I'm sorry, listen to me going on. Would you like a drink before you order?"   
  
"Why don't you bring us today's special?" Sonny smiled. "Wait, it's not fish is it? Carly doesn't eat fish." Carly looked down at the table and smiled. She didn't think he would remember something so trivial.   
  
She shook her head. "No it's not."  
  
"Two specials then. If it's alright with you?" He glanced at Carly. She nodded. "It's fine."  
  
She nodded and left. Sonny turned to Carly. "You talked to her about Angel?"  
  
Carly played with her napkin. "We met at the office. She had the most beautiful baby…" Sonny reached out and touched her hand. "She understood about Angel. We had a little talk and she gave me hope which I needed."  
  
"We both need it." Sonny murmured.   
  
Carly swallowed. "Okay, that's enough for right now. We are going to sit here and enjoy our dinner and afterwards we're going to head into the shop and get Bobbie that scarf."  
  
He shook his head. "Okay."  
  
The rest of the meal passed by uneventfully. They discussed the things they saw that day and how delicious dinner was. The waitress returned to check on them. "Would you like dessert?"  
  
"Oh, no we really should get going." Carly said regretfully.   
  
"You can't. We have a very special singer here tonight. You should stay. Her voice is very lovely." The woman told them.  
  
Carly looked over at Sonny with a question in her eyes. He shrugged. "We might as well. Could you bring me a cup of coffee?"  
  
"Make that two." Carly said. The woman beamed at them. "I'll be right back with them."  
  
"Today was…good." Carly said to him.  
  
He nodded. "I had a good time."  
  
"Despite me, you mean."  
  
"Because of you." He took her hand in his and stared into her eyes. Behind them a woman approached the piano and leaned against it. She nodded at the piano player and she began to sing low.  
  
**It makes sense that it should happen this way  
That the sky should break,   
And the earth should shake  
As if to say:   
Sure it all matters but in such an unimportant way  
As if to say: **  
  
** Fly away  
Sweet bird of prey  
Fly fly away  
Nothing can stand in your way sweet bird   
If you knew the words   
I know you'd say:  
Fly away **  
  
A few couples stood up and went onto the dance floor. Sonny nodded towards them. "You want to?"  
  
"With an invitation like that…" Carly murmured.   
  
Sonny stood up, took her hand in his and led her on to the floor. He held her gently in his arms. Carly hesitated before laying her head on his shoulder. He took in a deep breath and tightened his arms around her. He closed his eyes and let himself enjoy the feeling of holding her in his arms.  
  
**It makes sense that it should hurt in this way  
That my heart should break and   
My hands should shake-as if to say:  
Sure it don't matter except in the most important way  
As if to say: **  
  
**Fly away  
Sweet bird of prey  
Fly fly away  
I won't stand in your way sweet bird   
If you knew the words   
I know that you'd say:  
Fly fly away **  
  
They swayed slightly to the music. The singer's gentle voice wrapped them and the other couples into a hazy spell. Sonny rubbed his hands up and down Carly's back. Carly took a shuddering breath. Sonny leaned back to look at her.  
  
"Are you okay?" He asked softly.  
  
She shook her head. "I…I started to think about Angel. I was doing so well today and I just… I know I should be happy that she's in a better place and I'm ridiculous for getting worked up over a baby that hadn't even been born and-"  
  
"Hey," He said gently and touched her chin to make her look at him. "It's okay, you know. It doesn't matter that we never got to hold her or anything, you were connected to her. She was a part of you and you loved her. That's all that matters."   
  
"I know." She murmured and hugged him tightly. "Thank you."   
  
"I was only helping. Isn't that what we're supposed to be doing down here? Helping each other?" He said with a twinkle in his eye.  
  
"Of course." She smiled a little. He impulsively reached out and traced her smile with his finger. She caught her breath.  
  
** It makes sense that it should feel this way  
That you slowly fade and yet  
Still remains-as if to say:  
Everything matters in such an invisible way  
As if to say it's ok  
Fly away **  
  
He moistened his lips. "Maybe we-"  
  
"Should go?" She finished for him. She nodded. "I'm a little tired. I think we did a little too much today."  
  
"What about Bobbie's scarf?" He said after a moment.  
  
Carly shrugged. "I got her enough things."  
  
"Okay…" Sonny guided her back to their table were they collected their things and paid the bill, leaving a generous tip for the waitress. She came over when she saw them packing up.   
  
"You're leaving?" She said disappointed.  
  
"Yes, but we had a wonderful time." Carly smiled at her. She suddenly hugged the woman on impulse. "Thank you."   
  
~*~*~  
  
After they returned to the house they went their separate ways. Sonny went into his room and Carly went to take another shower. Sonny went through the bags of things that Carly brought him. He shook his head as he took out the tie she brought. It was flashy and a little too showy for him. She knew that and got it anyway. It wasn't understated like the ties he'd seen her get Johnny. Johnny. Sonny crushed the tie in his hand. Just a mention of the guard put him in a bad mood. If he weren't careful Carly would have good cause to accuse him of being jealous.   
  
Sonny shook his head to clear those thoughts away and reached into the bag again. He brought up a handful of lacy undergarments. He flushed as he stared at them. Looked like Carly did a little shopping for herself when he wasn't paying attention. He spread one out on his hand. It was a little scrap of black lace. It would barely cover what it was supposed. He immediately envisioned Carly wearing it. He groaned and closed his eyes. He had to get this out of here. He threw the underwear back into the bag and carried it out of his room.  
  
"Carly?" Sonny knocked lightly on her door then opened it just as she walked out of the bathroom wrapped only in a towel. She jumped when she saw him.   
  
"Damn it, Sonny, what are you doing in here?" She snapped to cover her surprise. It was bad enough she couldn't get him out of her mind during her shower.   
  
"I…" His eyes roved over her. The skimpy towel she wore barely concealed her. A smile slowly appeared on his face. He dropped the bag on the floor. "I forget."  
  
"Then come back when you remember." She snapped and pointed at the door. "Go!"  
  
"Your, uh, your towel is slipping." Sonny pointed out.   
  
"What?" She scrambled to hold it up.  
  
Sonny slowly approached her. He should be truthful and just admit it to himself that this had been in the back of his mind for a long time now. And now was the time to act on it. "Let me get that for you."  
  
He grasped the middle of it used it to tugged her closer to him. She stumbled forward and looked searchingly into his eyes. "Sonny?"  
  
"Shush." He murmured before covering her mouth with his. Her mouth was surprisingly warm and she tasted like the after dinner mint she had at the café. He cupped her face and moaned. Carly started to respond but caught herself.  
  
Carly pushed him back and held her towel together tightly. She panted. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"  
  
"Kissing you." He said simply. He reached out for her again but she backed up.   
  
She shook her head furiously. She couldn't let this happen again. The last thing she needed in her life was to make this mistake again. No matter how tempting it was. She grabbed onto the first excuse she could think of. "Was that supposed to teach me some lesson? Or to prove a point?"  
  
"A point?" He repeated. "What 'point' am I supposed to be making?"  
  
"The…the other day, remember!" She sputtered. "You said you didn't have to be angry to kiss me."  
  
He laughed. "I don't…that wasn't about me proving a point."  
  
"Then what was it?" She demanded.  
  
"It was me wanting you. And you wanting me." His dark eyes stared intently into hers. Carly shivered from the heat of it and took another step back. Sonny advanced on her slowly. He trailed a finger down her wet arm. "Don't deny it, Carly."  
  
"I'm denying anything." She lied.   
  
"This time, it'll be about us. No one else. I'm not trying to prove anything; you aren't reacting to something else, no outside causes, Carly. Just you and me. We aren't hurting anyone else."  
  
"I…"  
  
"You think too much." He murmured as he gently cupped her face.   
  
She smirked. "Not thinking is what got us in the situation."  
  
"It's not going to hurt us this time though." He rubbed his thumb across her bottom lip. She impulsively nipped at it. He smiled. "I take that it, that's a yes?"   
  
"That's a 'just for tonight'." She told him.  
  
"I didn't say anything about tomorrow." He warned her.  
  
"Who's thinking about tomorrow?" She raised an eyebrow and took a step back. She dropped her towel and kicked it away when it hit the floor. "Well?"  
  
"Come here." He took her hand and lead over to the bed.  
  
~*~*~  
The next morning Carly woke with the feeling that someone was watching her. She slowly opened her eyes. Sonny was lying next to her, his head propped up on his arm, staring at her intently. Finding him still in her bed was something she hadn't been prepared for. She was torn between being happy because he stayed and afraid because he stayed. The happiness was because she didn't want to wake up alone. The fear was because last night changed everything. They made promises about tomorrow but him staying obviously violating them.   
  
She was all confused inside about this. She didn't know what to say so she nervously licked her lips and looked away.  
  
"I wondered how long you would sleep." He murmured.  
  
"I…It's time to get up." She shrugged and quickly left the bed. She grabbed her robe and covered herself. She turned to face the window.  
  
Sonny stared after her in confusion. "Carly?"   
  
"I think it's time we left, don't you?" She said suddenly.  
  
He frowned and sat up. "What are you talking about?"  
  
She ran her hands through her hair. "I thought about it and we've accomplished what we came down here to do right? I mean, I'm…better and so are you. Angel will always be here." She tapped her heart. "But I have to get back to the real world and I miss Michael and Bobbie."  
  
"The real world." He nodded and lay back against the pillows. He rubbed his hands over his face a couple of times. "All right. If that's what you really want to do."  
  
"That's what I want." She folded her arms across her chest. In reality it was the last thing she wanted. What she really wanted to do was crawl back into that bed with him, pull the covers up over them and forget the world outside. But he made it clear last night that it was just a one-time thing and she wasn't going to make a fool of herself by asking for more. She bit her lip. "Isn't that what you want also?"  
  
He looked up at her and stared into her eyes. It was a long time before he looked away. He got out of bed and picked up his clothes off the floor. "I'll have the plane ready to go by tonight."  
  
He quickly strode out of the room leaving Carly alone and hurt. Why did she think he would actually say he wanted to stay?  
  
~*~*~  
Bobbie and Johnny met them at the airport. Bobbie hugged Carly. She pushed a lock of hair back as she studied her daughter. "Are you okay?"  
  
"I'm fine." She swore. "I brought presents!"  
  
"Carly," Bobbie shook her head. "I don't need any presents. I was worried about you."  
  
"Nobody really *needs* presents." Carly brushed off her concern. She smiled up at Johnny. "I got you some new ties."  
  
"Great." He smiled back.   
  
Bobbie turned to Sonny since Carly wasn't answering her. "How'd it go on the island? Did you guys connect?"  
  
Sonny paused before answering. He stroked his chin and glanced at Carly before shrugging. "Yeah, we uh, connected."  
  
"Things are *fine* now, Mama." Carly said before Sonny could anything else to his comment.   
  
"Did you come with Johnny?" Sonny asked Bobbie. "I could drop you two off at the Brownstone?"  
  
"That would be great." Bobbie smiled.  
  
"We should get our bags." Carly suddenly said. "The quicker we get them, the quicker we get home and Sonny and I won't have to see each other again."   
  
"Carly!" Bobbie admonished her.  
  
Sonny said softly. "Is that what you want?"  
  
Carly spun around and lied to his face. "Yes. Help with the bags, Johnny." The guard trailed after Carly. He looked back once at Sonny. He winced at the hurt look in Sonny's eyes. He hurried to follow after Carly who had to find hard against looking back.   
  
Song credit, Fly Away by Poe 


	10. Chapter 10

Sonny's car had just pulled up to the Brownstone. The ride over from the airport had been filled with Carly's inane chatter. She talked to Bobbie and Johnny about the flight from the island and she pointedly ignored Sonny. Sonny sat quietly in the back trying to figure out Carly's change in attitude. He couldn't understand her reaction to him that morning. After last night why would she suddenly want to rush off the island and get as far away from him as possible? He couldn't come up with a plausible answer.   
  
He didn't say anything until Carly and Bobbie were out of the car and Johnny had placed their bags inside of the house. He got out of the car and called out to Carly who stood on the steps handing Johnny his gift. He took his one shot. "Carly."  
  
"What is it?" She huffed, looking everywhere but at him.  
  
"You know you and Michael don't have to stay with Bobbie if you don't want to, no offense Bobbie."  
  
"None taken." She murmured as she watched the drama unfold.  
  
"You could, ah, there's always room at the Penthouse for you and Michael." He said softly.   
  
"Why would I go back there?" She frowned.  
  
He shrugged. "It was just an idea, Carly, nothing more."  
  
"Well, Michael and I are fine where we are."   
  
"All right." He nodded. He turned to go.   
  
Bobbie looked at the two of them. There was obviously something between them. It couldn't end like this. "Sonny, would you like to come in for a drink?"   
  
"No." He got into the car and Carly slowly walked into the house. Bobbie rushed over to the car.   
  
"I don't know why Carly is acting like this." Bobbie said. "But I'm sorry."  
  
"You don't have to apologize for her, Bobbie." He said softly. He glanced up to see Carly look out the door. His eyes met hers for a second and then she ducked back inside and slammed the door behind her. Sonny closed his eyes.  
  
"Carly!" Bobbie whirled around.   
  
Sonny touched her hand and shook his head. "Forget it."  
  
"I'll go see what her problem is." Bobbie frowned. "And thank you."  
  
Bobbie came into the house just as Carly was greeting Leticia and Michael. Carly swooped Michael out of Leticia's arms. "Hey Mr. Man! Mommy missed you, did you miss me?" She hugged the little boy to her.   
  
"What was that?" Bobbie demanded as she closed the door behind her.  
  
Carly turned with Michael in her arms. "What are you talking about?"  
  
"That thing with Sonny. Out there, at the airport. Where is it with this tension between you two?"  
  
"Tension?" Carly repeated innocently. "I didn't sense any tension."  
  
Bobbie narrowed her eyes. "Did something happen on the island?"  
  
Carly shrugged. "We came to terms with Angel, I guess. Bring my bags with you please? I want to give you guys the stuff I brought back with me."   
  
She started for the living room and tossed over her shoulder. "And fill me in on what I've missed while I was away. Did some other person mess up big time and become the town pariah giving me a break?"  
  
"Carly," Bobbie said softly, "A.J.'s missing."  
  
Carly stopped short. "What?"   
  
"No one's seen him since the day he was released." Bobbie told her.  
  
A small smile appeared on her face and she chuckled a little. "Good. I hope he got what he deserved."  
  
"What does that mean?" Bobbie asked suspiciously.   
  
"It means that Sonny took care of everything. Like he said he would." Carly carried Michael into the living room.  
  
~*~*~  
Sonny stood by the big window of the penthouse with one hand shoved in his pocket and the other braced against the window. In his pants pocket he had his hand wrapped around the outlandish tie Carly had given him. It'd been two weeks since he left Carly at the Brownstone. They'd had no contact but he knew that Johnny saw her often. He never questioned the guard about his visits with Carly. He couldn't her or their brief time on the island out of his mind. He had no answer for why she would suddenly turn so cold. They made no promises to each other but after that night he'd actually started to wonder, started to hope.  
  
Sonny thrust his hand into his hair and turned around sharply. What was he thinking? Getting involved with Carly Benson would be suicide…or would it? They laughed and had a good time on the beach and were there when the one needed the other. She wasn't the viper he thought she was. She could be sweet and caring…  
  
This was crazy, just thinking about the possibility. He didn't want to marry the woman he just…missed her. Really missed her. He could say that he got used to her on the island but it was more than that. She got under his skin. And the only reason she was still there was because they didn't get any real closure. They had the one night and then they jumped up and were gone   
  
He should have forced her to stay at the penthouse with him. Why did he let her slip through his fingers so easily? He should have gotten whatever was wrong out of her. But he knew he couldn't force Carly into anything. It would only end up backfiring on him. She was going to have to come to him. And for the past two weeks she'd been doing the opposite.  
  
He had to get out of here. He grabbed his jacket and stormed out of the penthouse. He passed by Johnny who was on door duty. He punched angrily at the elevator button. He didn't know why he was suddenly so angry. He paced impatiently in front of the elevator doors. Out of the corner of his eye he spotted Johnny giving him a curious look.  
  
Sonny turned and nodded towards Johnny. "That one of the ties Carly gave you?"  
  
Johnny's eyes widened slightly. He and Sonny didn't speak about Carly. It seemed to him that Sonny wanted to forget about Carly so he made a point not to talk about her around him. He nodded slowly. "Yes."   
  
Sonny narrowed his eyes. "You've seen her." It wasn't a question but a statement.   
  
Again Johnny nodded. Sonny asked. "How is she? Is she okay? What about Michael?"  
  
"They're both fine." Johnny assured him. "Carly's almost like her old self. She's actually thinking about getting a job."  
  
Sonny stroked his chin while thinking this over. This what he wanted, wasn't it? For Carly to get back on with her life? Or to completely break down without him? Finally he said. "That's good."  
  
The elevator doors opened behind him and he turned to go. Johnny called out behind him. "Do you want me to tell Carly you asked about her?"   
  
"No." Sonny said sharply, holding his hand up. "You don't have to tell her anything. It's better this way."  
  
Better for whom, Johnny wondered to himself. He asked Sonny, "Are you going to see her?"  
  
Sonny looked at him strangely. "No."   
  
~*~*~  
  
Two weeks later Carly was coming out of Kelly's when she came face to face with A.J. A week earlier Bobbie gave her hand and offered her the vacant waitress job at Kelly's. At first Carly couldn't see herself waiting on people for a living. Also working side by side with Elizabeth Webber was a huge downside but Bobbie reminded her that not too many people would hire her and she should take what she could get. Though it was still humiliating to have to answer to Tammy. Carly was bitching to herself about the woman when she saw A.J. for the first time since that day at the lawyers.   
  
"Damn curly-haired busybody." Carly was muttering to herself.  
  
"Should I even ask who you're talking about?" A.J.'s voice floating out to her and Carly whipped around. His appearance disappointed her. He actually looked good. His suit fit him well, his hair was neatly shorn, his eyes were clear and the ever present smell of alcohol was gone. Hate and anger filled her. This was the man who tried to kill him and took away her baby and he looked perfect.   
  
She narrowed her eyes and spat out. "A.J."   
  
"It's been a long time, Carly." He smiled broadly at her.  
  
"I'd hoped it be a lot longer." She said. "I thought you were dead. I hoped you were. Everybody town thinks you are."   
  
"I went to a rehab clinic. Got myself clean and sober." He told her proudly. "I didn't tell anyone because they wouldn't have believed me. I had to hit rock bottom before I actually got help I guess."  
  
"What do you want from me A.J.? You want me to happy that the death of my child got you sober again?" Carly sneered. She had to get out of there before she completely lost it. The sight of his smile made her ill. "I can't stay here and listen to this."  
  
She started to brush pass him but he caught her arm. "Don't walk away from me when I'm talking to you."  
  
She jerked her arm away. "I'm not your wife anymore. I don't to listen to you yap anymore. Cause that's what you do, A.J., you yap. Like one of those little annoying Chihuahua dogs. Yap, yap, yap. I hate dogs like that. They make me want to kick them."  
  
A.J. tossed his head back and laughed. "That's the Carly I love. You know now that the kid's out of the way, why don't you pack up your stuff and come home. I mean it, Carly, I'm willing to overlook that thing with Sonny and take you back providing you act like my sweet loving wife." He trailed the back of his hand across her cheek.  
  
Carly knocked his hand away. "You jerk!" She slapped him across the face. His head snapped back from the blow. He'd raised his own hand and was about to retaliate when a stronger hand grabbed his shoulder and jerked him backwards.   
  
Carly smiled at Johnny. "Thanks but I can handle this."   
  
He shrugged. "I have this thing about seeing weasels attacking women."   
  
A.J. struggled against him. "She hit me first. Let me go."   
  
" 'She hit me first.' " Johnny repeated and made a face. "Is this guy for real?"  
  
"God A.J., you go from a dog to a first grader." Carly shook her head. "Let him go."  
  
A.J. adjusted his jacket and glared at Johnny. He turned his gaze to Carly. "I see you're still whoring yourself to Corinthos? I don't want that kind of filth around *my* son."  
  
"That's why *you* aren't allowed to see him, ever." She sneered.   
  
"I think it's time you left." Johnny told him, his anger evident in his tone.   
  
A.J. looked at him curiously and started to laugh. "Don't tell me, you're doing the bodyguard too? I guess even Corinthos got tired of you."   
  
"Johnny, don't!" Carly jumped between them before Johnny was able to punch A.J. like he wanted. A.J. took the opportunity to slither away. He looked at Carly disappointed. "Why didn't you let me hit him?"  
  
"Because it's just what he wanted." Carly told him.   
  
"You hit him also." He frowned.  
  
"Yeah but that made me feel better." She said with a crooked smile before hugging him. She buried her face in his wide chest. Her voice was smothered when she mumbled, "Thank you."  
  
He'd been stroking the back of her head. "What?"  
  
She pulled back and looked at him. "I said thank you. God, from the moment I saw him I hated his guts. I had to leave before I did something drastic but he grabbed me. If you'd hadn't come along when you did…"  
  
"He would have hit you."  
  
"No, I would have kicked his ass." Carly laughed. "I'm not scared of him. I hate him for what he did to my baby."   
  
"Then maybe I should have kept him around longer then." Johnny suggested, happy to hear her laugh again. The first couple of time he visited her after the return from the island she seemed so down. The only time he heard her laugh was with Michael. At first he believed it had to do with the baby but he soon came to realize that it was about Sonny. Sonny was someone she didn't want to talk about though Johnny kept trying to think of ways to bring him into the conversation so he could find out how Carly really felt about the man. He wondered what happened on the island. Both Sonny and Carly came back different.  
  
"Johnny, do me a favor." She said almost desperately.   
  
"Anything." He vowed.   
  
"Don't tell Sonny about this." She said.   
  
He frowned. "Why would I say anything about this to Sonny?"  
  
Carly hugged him again, taking his confused question as an affirmation. "Thanks again. Sonny doesn't need to know what happened. I don't want to bother him with this."   
  
"I won't say anything." Johnny told her. Already he was keeping one conversation from her, what was wrong with keeping one from Sonny?   
  
Carly glanced away from him. "How's Sonny by the way?"  
  
Miserable, Johnny thought. And this was making him miserable too. Playing go-between for two people who obviously wanted to be together but were too stubborn to admit it. He already knew he was out of the game but having to watch Carly long for Sonny was killing him.   
  
Out loud he said, "Fine. Sonny's fine."  
  
"Oh." She sounded almost disappointed. "That's…good."   
  
"Why don't you drop by the penthouse and see him?" Johnny suggested. "He might like to see you."  
  
"You think?" Carly said hopefully. Then she shook her head and said firmly. "No, I don't need to see Sonny."   
  
Johnny sighed and wrapped his arm around her. "How about I walk you home then?"  
  
Carly leaned her head on his shoulder. "That'll be nice, thanks."  
  
~*~*~  
A few days later Sonny met Mike at the Recovery Room. He was avoiding Kelly's after he found out that Carly was working there. He was on his way in the other day and he saw Carly taking an order. The sight of her with her pulled up in a ponytail, wearing an apron and sneering at a customer cause him to laugh. Carly, working? He thought he'd never live to see the day. But there she was, working and getting on with her life. He quickly left before she had a chance to spot him. He had a feeling that she wouldn't want him to see her that way.  
  
Sonny slid into the chair across from Mike. Mike stared at him worriedly. "You look awful."  
  
"Thanks Mike, I can always trust you to say something to lift my spirits." Sonny rubbed the back of his neck. But if Mike was right he looked as awful as he felt.   
  
"Is this about the baby?" Mike said. "Are you still beating yourself up about that Michael? Because you know there was nothing you could do."   
  
"I know that." Sonny muttered. "This has nothing to do with my daughter."  
  
"Then what is it?" Mike demanded. When Sonny didn't say anything and just stared at the floor Mike figured it out. He sat back and sighed. "Don't tell me it's Carly."  
  
"I can't get her out of my mind, Mike."  
  
"Don't do it. She's nothing but trouble."  
  
"No, she's not." He jumped to her defense. "Yes, she can be difficult at times but Mike, you don't know her."   
  
"And you do?"   
  
"I know enough." He fiddled with the salt shaker.   
  
"Enough to want her in your life…permanently?" Mike questioned him softly.  
  
Sonny stared intently at the shaker. This was the same question that he'd been asking himself for the past couple of days. Every night he tossed and turned. Carly invaded his sleep. The memories played over and over in his mind. He saw her crying in the middle of the nursery, asking him to stay with her while she slept, arguing the merits of sequels, falling in the sand, holding him and telling him it was 'his turn', dancing with him at the café and finally dropping the towel for him in her room. God, he missed her. He admitted it. He missed having her around. And he wanted her back.  
  
He put down the salt shaker and sat up straight. "I know that she hates sequels, that she abhors fish, that she won't back down when she thinks she's right, that she hates being laughed at, that when she smiles her whole body smiles. I'm talking her eyes sparkle, she gets a glow around her and she has this laugh, this great little laugh. And when she sleeps…she snores. Delicately of course. And if she likes you, she gets you some nice ties." He smiled.  
  
Mike shook his head. Sonny had already made up his mind without knowing it. "If you know all of this why are you here wasting time with me when you should be with her?"  
  
"You know Mike, don't ever tell anyone I said this but you're right." Sonny stood up abruptly. He started for the door.  
  
"Where are you going?" Mike called out.  
  
"Where I should have gone a long time ago." Sonny said over his shoulder.   
  
~*~*~  
Carly was curled up on the couch rubbing her tired feet. It was bad enough that the pay at Kelly's was lousy but now she was losing the feeling in her feet from standing on them all day. She didn't know how waitresses did it but she couldn't stand it. She needed a new job and fast.   
  
Lucas sat next to her channel surfing and trying to keep away from his big sister's feet. He made a face. "Could you put those away?"  
  
"Why? You don't want to rub them for me?" Carly laughed as she waved her bare feet in his face and he scrambled away from her.   
  
"Mom!" Lucas called out.   
  
Bobbie stuck her head into the room. "You two play nice."  
  
"Big baby." Carly muttered. She grabbed the remote from him. "Let me have it. You're never going to find anything the way you rush through. Typical male thing."   
  
"I was watching that." He complained.   
  
"And now you're not." Carly changed the channel. Her breath caught when she saw the movie she landed on. Weekend at Bernie's part two. A smile came to her face as she remembered her heated debate with Sonny about sequels. She'd been fighting so hard not to think of her time on the island. She knew if she opened her heart to Sonny that he would only walk all over it. Wasn't that what happened every time she fell in love? Not that she was in love with Sonny Corinthos of course. Falling in love with him would be a big mistake. A mistake she was afraid she already made.  
  
She shook her head to clear that thought. She couldn't help but smile as she remembered the argument. Though the other times weren't as happy she still smiled. Sonny stood by her when any other man would have left her alone. Even when she fought him, he stayed. He even stayed with her the night she first dreamed of Angel. She closed her eyes as she remembered the warm feeling she got waking up to him. That feeling was absent the morning after they'd slept together.  
  
"Hey, I don't want to watch this stupid movie." Lucas's voice broke into her thoughts. He snatched the remote out of her hand and started switching the channels again.   
  
Carly ran her hands through her hair and groaned. The morning after she was so afraid so she ran. She was afraid to want more, afraid that he would laugh in her face, afraid that he would actually take her up on it.  
  
Lucas looked at her. She had a weird look on her face. He nudged her. "Are you okay?"  
  
"What?" She glanced over. "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine."  
  
"Mom!" Lucas ignored her and called out. "Carly's zoning out again."   
  
"Carly?" Bobbie said worried. She rushed into the living room. "What happened?"  
  
"Nothing." Carly insisted. "His rapid clicking put me in a trance is all."  
  
Bobbie frowned at him. "Don't scare me like that, Lucas. Carly, are you sure you're okay?" Carly's behavior had been bothering her. She worried about her daughter.  
  
"I'm fine, really." Carly swore.   
  
Bobbie hesitated before nodding and said, "Okay. Lucas, find a show and stay there. You're going to wear out the batteries." She left the room.  
  
Carly tossed a pillow at her little brother. "Thanks a lot."   
  
"You're welcome." He stuck his tongue out at her and continued clicking through the channels.   
  
She went back to her thoughts. Getting involved with a man like Sonny would only end up getting her hurt. She knew that but why did she miss him so much? Why did she wake up at night with his name on her lips? Why was she sitting here thinking about him and wanting to be with him?   
  
"You got the same look on your face that Mom gets when she has to make a big decision." Lucas muttered. "What are you thinking about?"  
  
"Why do you want to know?"  
  
"Nothing's on TV. So what is it?"  
  
"I'm not confiding in *you*." She sneered.   
  
"I don't care." He shrugged and turned back to the television. "But just do what Mom always says."   
  
"And what's that?" She said suspiciously.   
  
"Do whatever your heart is telling you." He mumbled.   
  
Carly repeated the words silently to herself. What was her heart telling her to do? She suddenly put her shoes back on and scrambled off the couch. She called out to Bobbie as she rushed out the door. "Michael's still down for his nap, could you watch him for me? Thanks!"  
  
Bobbie hurried after her. "What? Where are you going?"  
  
"There's somebody I need to see." Carly said simply and slammed the door behind her.  
  
Bobbie looked at Lucas. "What did you do to her?"  
  
"Nothing." He shrugged.   
  
~*~*~  
They met each other the docks. They were both taking the shortcut, using the fastest way to get to each other. Carly was coming down the stairs just as Sonny was crossing across the walkway. They both stopped short and stared at each other for a long time.   
  
For Carly it was the first time since he left her at the Brownstone that she'd saw him. She drank in the sight of him. He looked tired and her heart ached for him. Sonny's eyes roved over her. He only had a quick glimpse of her at Kelly's and that hadn't been enough for him. She'd lost weight, he noticed.   
  
She suddenly she went into motion, running down the stairs towards him. He simply held open his arms and closed them around her when she ran into them. He bent his head and kissed her. It was slow, thorough kiss. The kiss said everything they couldn't. For Sonny it says that he wants her and this time he means to keep her. For Carly it apologized for acting a like a fool and running away from him. The kiss was their way of starting over, of making things right.   
  
He lifted his head slightly and ran his fingers through her hair. Carly leaned back and looked in his eyes. His eyes reflected the same emotions she felt inside. She didn't know how it happened but love must have snuck up on them. She ran her tongue over her lips and smiled. He smiled back. Carly would have been content to stand there and stare at him all day but Sonny had other plans.   
  
"So…" He began.  
  
"So…" She repeated. "Where do we go now?"   
  
"I don't know." He answered truthfully. "I know that I can't be without you."  
  
"This month has been hell." She admitted.   
  
"Same for me." He stroked her arms. He couldn't stop himself from touching her.  
  
She played with the top button of his shirt. "I got scared, Sonny. I was afraid of getting hurt. I shouldn't have wasted all that time."  
  
"I should have come for you." He said.  
  
She shook her head. "We're wasting time with regrets. So from this point on, no more regrets."   
  
"No regrets." He murmured before kissing her softly. She leaned into him and accepted his sweet kiss.  
  
He rubbed his thumb across her lip. His voice was husky as he said, "I want to be with you, Carly. Always."  
  
"I think I want the same thing."  
  
"Be certain, Carly." He warned her. "I don't want you to think you to be with me, I want you to know it. I'm serious Carly, I will leave you right now if you don't know for sure."  
  
Carly twined her arms around his neck and said softly. "I know it, Sonny. I just had a moment's hesitation. It won't happen again."  
  
He leaned back and studied her. "Are you sure?"  
  
She kissed him lightly and murmured. "I'm sure. Now what do we do?"  
  
He shrugged. "We go home."  
  
"Home." She whispered. "I can't wait to go home. And after that?"  
  
He smiled slowly. "I don't know. We'll think of something."   
  
"I'm sure we will." She smiled at him. She took his hand and they walked off together.   



End file.
